Imagine a heady blend of The Pogues, Springsteen’s Seger Sessions Band, Western swing, jazz, bluegrass and gospel and you’re close to the Tupelo sound. This feisty Dublin five-piece is all-acoustic, with banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, saxophones, dobro and double bass all tossed into the instrumental stew, along with vocals from three of the quintet.
As befits an outfit named after the Mississippi birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo stick to the rhythm ‘n’ roots of rock ‘n’ roll, adding their own unique Irish perspective to the proceedings. It’s all joyous, rollicking good-timey music, with a heart and soul that offers a respectful nod to the past without descending into parody or pastiche.
The harmonies are tight, the playing deft on these 14 tracks. It’s impossible not to move every muscle to numbers like ‘Figure It Out’ and the title track (which features an infectious singalong chorus). Throughout, their influences are transparent: ‘Don’t Let Go’ recalls Dylan’s ‘Girl From The North Country’, while the patriotic ‘I’m An Irishman’ evokes Luke Kelly. Elsewhere, the gentle ballad, ‘My Family’s Land’ is one of the few low-key songs here. Curiously, you get the distinct impression that this is a band that really needs to be seen live to be appreciated. Coming to a venue nenar you, soon...