Inspired by the melodies of Cole Porter and the lyrics of Morrissey, it’s inevitable that people are going to draw parallels between the London-Irish-Scouser, Eugene McGuinness and Manhattans’s Stephin Merritt, both capable of running circles around most popular artists and both capable of joyfully literate u-turns and baritone, burlesque sincerity; the only difference being that the multi-faceted McGuinness is capable of far greater circus tricks with his profanely agile vocal, which, just like the curbside princess in his song ‘Bold Street’, cuts through the chaos like a shooting star.
‘High Score’, ‘Monsters Under The Bed’, ‘Vampire Casino’ veer between the shuffling, thriftstore beats, Wurlitzer organs, jangling lo-fi guitars and ornate vocal harmonies of organised madness and the more formal boundaries offered by music hall and vaudeville – with a precarious sense of dissociation thrown in by way of courtesy. Populated by characters as diverse as black cats, drag acts, school boys, figures from classical literature, mayors, monsters and set against a backdrop of amusement arcades, casinos, supermarkets and fake American diners, McGuinness creates a world of mishapes, misdeeds and rainbows as likely to heal (as in the beautiful if mournful ‘Madeleine’) as to spoil.
Recalling the quirkier ad-hoc rhythms of David Byrne’s Luaka Bop, the cutthroat irony of the Arctic Monkeys, the juvenile disregard of Benjy Ferree and the infinite possibilities of Regina Spektor, ‘The Early Learnings Of Eugene McGuinness’ must surely rank as the ‘Alright Still’ of intelligent, urban pop.
A chuffing great debut to his credit, Eugene enjoys the bonus of looking like a ‘Help’ era Lennon with attitude and mouth to match. Out on Double Six Records – a division of the mighty Domino.