Whatever one’s opinion of the long-defunct Juniper, there’s no denying that the band sprouted a Pete Frame-worthy family tree whose branches have borne copious fruit over the past decade: D. Rice, Neosupervital, and now David Geraghty, one time Rotators frontman and Bell X1’s multi-instrumentalist.
Erase and rewind: Kill Your Darlings declares interests and betrays influences far beyond the Celbridge unit’s remit. It’s also as tantalising a debut as you’ll hear this season.
The title might refer to the regrettable but integral part of the creative process in which an artist must sacrifice a beloved scene or pet sound for the betterment of the project in its entirety. Certainly, the clarity of production, virtuosic but intuitive performances and songwriting chops displayed by Geraghty and crew imply an impressive maturity.
The opening ‘Ragdoll’ rejoices in rolling rhythms, double bass and Cora Venus Lunny’s string arrangements, all of which map the Joe Boydian joins between Nick Drake, sotto voce Buckley and Beck’s Sea Change. ‘Back Seat’, featuring Clare Finglass on guest vocal, is a hushed Richard & Linda Thompson lovers’ tiff, replete with queasy hurdy-gurdy keys and Kevin Brady’s deft and delicate trap-kit.
And yes, I do hear a single. Namely ‘Kaleidoscope’, whose rollicking piano and Jon Brion-ish Wurlitzer whorls could’ve been lifted from an unproduced PT Anderson script. Similarly, ‘Fear The Hitcher’ is a deceptively velvet-voiced blast of outre pop.
I say deceptively, because a lot of the record inhabits surprisingly dank territory. The spare and sinister ‘Long Time Running’ is closely miked and in-your-ear, akin to one of Mick Harvey or Mark Lanegan’s 4am Gitanes and Cognac-flavoured gallows-humoured wallows. ‘Cracked Skull’ is cut from the same cloth, tremelo-armed and dangerous, an after-dark noir ballad worthy of the Willard Grant Conspiracy.
Geraghty is not short on ambition: cop an ear to the icy windchimes, five-part male choir and assorted Kid A-isms of ‘It Won’t Belong’, or the classy torch jazz duet ‘Delgadina’, embellished with rumbling kettle drums, muted horn and shimmering strings.
No doubt about it, this fellow knows exactly what he’s doing. Kill Your Darlings is an impressive and auspicious debut.