This album almost didn’t make it. On the way back to his native Dublin from writing material in the wilds of Kerry, Juno Falls’ lead singer and songwriter Myles O’Reilly crashed his car into a ditch. Thankfully, he survived unscathed, going on to record the album with bassist Elton Mullaly and drummer Dave Lawless in locations ranging from Wickow to London and Nashville.
‘This Song Is Your Own’ kicks off proceedings in fine style. It’s a top-notch track with an infectious hook and sun-kissed guitars that worm its way into your subconscious in the best possible way. Quirky lyrics about missing episodes of The Sopranos and Lost punctuate the upbeat ‘The Opposite Of Everything’, but things then turn quieter and more plaintive on ‘Atom Bomb’, where O’Reilly’s breathy vocals are showcased to full effect.
A great guitar loop anchors the lazy ‘Slowly Fizzy’, while ‘The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off’ manages to distil the band’s best attributes into one song. It’s not hard to see why Travis’s Fran Healy was sufficiently impressed with this track to invite Juno Falls to tour the UK with him. ‘Waxworks In The Sun’ takes a detour into a world of warm brass melodies and dreamy keyboards, while ‘Dapper Dan’ is a tuneful highlight of the album’s second half, reminding the listener of Soulwax at their best.
Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, Weightless doesn’t outstay its welcome, and while some of the material is a bit samey, there are enough high points to make this a worthwhile listen.