retro review #3

Another old review. This one's from July 08' and I still listen to this mini album and artist in general ALL the time. So beautiful. Enjoy.x

EUGENE McCGUINNESS - THE EARLY LEARNINGS OF

2008 has been an amazing year for new music so far, with a myriad of bands bringing out near jaw-droopingly good debut releases. From Cajun Dance Party to The Silents to Vampire Weekend I’ve just been continually surprised and delighted.

Another fantastic debut which has just come to my attention is actually a mini album of 8 tracks by an incredible young songwriter by the name of Eugene McGuinness. The album is entitled The Early Learning’s of Eugene McGuinness and is one of the rawest most satisfyingly beautiful collection of songs I’ve heard in a long while.

I hadn’t heard a bar of McGuinness’ work before listening to the record but I was instantly taken with his quirky, addictive and melodic sound. This twenty-something lad from Liverpool has undoubtedly become an instant favourite of mine. Especially with tracks such as the catchy opener ‘High Score’ as well as his first single ‘Monsters Under The Bed’.

Other tracks of note include, ‘Bold Street’, ‘A Child Lost In Tesco’ and ‘A Girl Whom My Eyes Shine For But My Shoes Run From’.

But when it comes down to it I can’t seem to gush enough about the merits of this recording as a whole. The Early Learning’s Of is such a beautiful collection of tracks. McGuinness has a gift for stringing a song together that very few seem to possess.

The Early Learning’s Of is only the beginning though. A first effort. The knowledge of that alone leaves me in a state of frenzied anticipation for what’s to come. If my instincts are working at all then it’s only going to get better from here on in.

Apparently a full length release has just finished being recorded and has a tentative release date of October this year. I for one am dying to hear it. If you’re looking for a new exciting musical obsession then give Eugene McGuinness a listen and get in on the ground floor of what’s bound to be a highly crowded bandwagon.

-Lesley Rickman