Already receiving rave notices in the UK where he is now based, this young Dubliner’s debut has long been anticipated thanks to his captivating live performances and a couple of EP releases which showcased his unique brand of acoustic melancholia.
He has a lot going for him, not least an appealing, easy-on-the-ear voice, a neat finger-picking guitar style and a gift for poetic lyricism. Add a keen ear for an original melody and you have a winning formula – not that there is anything formulaic about him. The pastoral, rustic imagery of songs such as ‘Hunter’s Map’ and ‘Hey Rabbit’ are strongly reminiscent of the rural idyll of Nick Drake’s oeuvre but Regan brings his own voice to the strong opener, ‘Be Good Or Be Gone’ and the slight tale that is ‘Put A Penny In The Slot’. On ‘Snowy Atlas Mountains’ he weaves a strange, gothic tale of sorts with possible evil doings afoot: “If you pull a hatchet I’ll pull something to match it/How about your wife/I’ll give her a good life”, while soft percussion underpins the soaring country-ish ballad, ‘Black Water Child’. Despite the unpromising title, ‘The Cowshed’ is a definite highlight, with Regan’s aching, keening voice set against heavenly backing vocals, while the dramatic title track is equally compelling though again, the ghost of Nick Drake can be heard in some of the chord changes.
It’s not easy to bring anything new to a style and genre that has been with us for decades, but Regan makes more than a fair fist of it. Expect to hear these songs wafting from college dorms and student bedsits before very long.