 |
The Last Post |  |
| Dry Land | ||
| (Brightstar/CD) | ||
| Caroline Hennessy | ||
 |
| The second release from Dubliner Alan Kelly
under the name The Last Post is a marriage
of convenience between romantic melodies
and lush orchestration. After the demise
of his former band, In Motion, Kelly self-released
a couple of seven inches on the Via Dolorosa
label before signing with Northern Irish
label Bright Star Recordings (also home to
The Reindeer Section) for the release of
his debut album 'Love Lost'. As The Last Post, his brand of sophisticated pop owes a debt to sixties greats such as Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. Layering strings and horns with drums and harmonised vocals, Kelly creates lavish yet still-intimate arrangements. Although the lyrics can sometimes veer towards naivety, with fellow Dublin musician David Kitt guesting on stand-out track 'Only Thing That Eases The Pain' and sweetly pitched harmonies from Aoife O'Leary throughout, Kelly's grand vision remains intact. Late night listening from a fragile world. Caroline Hennessy |
