Having spent the past three years blazing a trail on the live circuit of Ireland and beyond, roots, folk and reggae six-piece the Barley Mob unveil their debut album. Produced by Steve Shannon, the self-titled opus is a highly politicised affair. But it manages the impressive feat of remaining positive and upbeat, in the process doing a great job of capturing the spirit of their live gigs.
It opens with ‘Everybody’s Music’, a suitably feisty tune with lyrics that read like a manifesto: “This is everybody’s music, for the people in the streets/ This is Irish rebel music/ Irish rhythm and Irish beats/ It is the sound of revolution, to be a nation once again.” The sentiments perfectly sum up where the Mob are coming from. Singer Adam Daly puts in a fantastic performance, sounding by turns world-weary, wistful and hopeful – the inflections of his Irish accent adding some roughness to the more reggae-imbued numbers.
The album standout is ‘She’s Falling’, a sweet and skanking tune with a Desmond Dekker vibe – and which has the potential, in the right circumstances, to chart. ‘You’ll Never Be Lost When You’ve Got Music’ and folksy sea shanty ‘Nothing In The World’ are nearly as potent. All told, The Barley Mob is a cracking record. If you thought Irish folk and reggae made strange bedfellows, prepare to eat your words.

KEY TRACK: ‘She’s Falling’