One Friday night, not too long ago, I took a drink with fellow Hot Presser Roisin Dwyer, and the visiting head of our German office, Frau Herzberger, at a Square Pegs gig. Sitting in with the band was one James Delaney. As soon as his fingers hit the keyboard, jaws around the room dropped. On the stage too, seasoned vets like famed tub basher Graham Hopkins had their eyes out on stalks in disbelieve. Delaney wasn’t so much playing the keyboard as possessing it. It was an incredible display of skill.

Hardly surprising then to discover he’s played with Chuck Berry, Rory Gallagher, and Van Morrison to name but three. Los Paradiso, the album and the band, features Delaney, along with his mates, running through blues, surf music, rockabilly, boogaloo, you name it. Guitarist Ed Deane has shared stages with Graham parker, Ian Dury, and Nick Lowe, drummer Kevin Malone has played with Sinead O’Connor and Ronnie Wood - on separate occasions I suspect - and bassist Garvan Gallagher has done service with Mary Black, and the marvellous Fleadh Cowboys.

With that much talent and experience on the bench, the playing is as accomplished as you would expect. Accordingly, the album is at it’s best on the (near) instrumentals – ‘Surfing With The Mummy’ heads down to the beach with a twang that Dick Dale would be proud of, and ‘Bad Day (In Blackrock)’ cops a bit of Ennio Morricone’s mojo for a tragic tale of transport problems in Dublin 4.

It’s unlikely to set the world aflame, but that’s hardly the point. It serves as a fine enticement to get down to one of their regular shows in the Lesson Lounge, which I fully intend to do.

7/10
OUT NOW