Seamus Fogarty, The Old Suit - EP review

At only four songs in length there's not a lot of wriggle room for mixing and matching styles. And the final result of a 2-2 draw between deep musings with inventive additions and breeze-laden electro remixes is an odd combination.

The opening salvos are Seamus armed with a soft guitar and carried by some, yes, electronic support - but the tracks are not just melancholy.

Seamus' less-is-more approach to the music works well and builds lightly towards a potential big finish to the EP. It's like Beck or Darwin Deez is having a bad day and wants the whole world to know about it.

But that big finish never quite arrives. Then come in the remixes and the progress is nullified, it's a little down in the dumps. Not even the other-worldly electronic wizardry of Django Django can save the day and it all just fizzles out into a disappointing conclusion.

He released a new record at the tail-end of 2017 and said he began working on these early this year. The Old Suit does have that nicely reflective feel to it. Like a snake shedding its skin, it feels like a journey. Seamus jigs nicely with his guitar as sliding strings in the background speed that path onwards. It draws a line under previous work with its deep, booming bass that powers the sound to say goodbye and focus eyes (and ears) forward.

Song For John sounds like it is building that further. Fluctuating, jumping electro beats give something of a building feel. Out with the old, in with the new. But the pace is a little more plodding than maybe it should be. Like a pondering retiree building a tiny boat rather than an architect constructing a metropolis.

The switch in pace mid-way through that track is a nice touch, though. It gives the listener brief hope before a slightly warning-fuelled ending.

It could be a warning that the best has passed. Both the Django Django remix of Carlow Town and James Yorkston's rethinking of Seems Wherever aren't brilliant. The latter in particular just seems stodgy and frustrating.

Rating: 4/10

Seamus Fogarty played at Birmingham's Hare & Hounds last night