The Judas Goat is the new guise of Dubliner Kevin Jennings, who has done time in London as a session singer and, back home, leading Mr Sunshine. In this, his latest incarnation, he has turned in a worthy album based around a melodic mainstream rock sound, with a dash of indie as a side dish.
The basic band line-up, with excellent guitar from the eminent Brian O’Reilly, makes a sturdy and attractive sound, occasionally bumped up with other contributions, including plaintive brass lines on ‘Cobalt’. ‘Heaven’ has that loping guitar rhythm, reminiscent of Neil Young, underpinning west coast vocals on what is a fine song. ‘Rainy Day’, with piano and vocal to the fore, also has a Young-ish flavour.
There’s a delicious soulful feel to ‘Rabbit In The Headlights’, and ‘Hopscotch’ turns it on big time in a ‘Southern Man’ kind-of-vein. The reflective ‘Distant Border’ draws a passionate vocal performance from Jennings himself, and the more acoustic and slightly countrified ‘The Heart Of The Sun’ also features a powerful vocal.
There’s a Bowie influence on tracks like the opener ‘Ivory Towers’ and ‘Still Life’, but these indulgences seem to me like distractions from otherwise impressive material. Plus, there should be a curfew on the hidden track gambit! But apart from such minor carps, The Judas Goat deliver classy songs, well performed.