How things can change. Five years ago Dara was riding high on a major label deal, enjoying hit singles and hanging out with U2. Matters took a sadly inevitable turn however, and the post-major future was not quite so rosy. A slightly different tack resulted and the singer moved into production and arrangement with the likes of Paddy Casey and, once more, U2, before returning to his own material last year. It has proved to be time well spent. Instead of descending into session musician disillusion, Dara has re-emerged enthused by the prospect of returning to the fray. Dog-Eared Memories, despite the claim that this is a new, stripped down Dara sound, is full of big ideas in both music and words. The influence of Coldplay and U2 is undeniable, but tempered by an intimate writing style that recalls Ben Folds or Randy Newman, especially given the choice of piano as lead instrument. Ultimately, this is a record that takes joy in the possibilities of making music, one that makes a mockery of record company politics and proves that, sometimes at least, the good will out.