Cathal Coughlan

Rancho TetrahedronKitchenware ***

Coughlan has always been hard to pin down musically. From the pioneering gusto of Microdisney to the social slapstick of Fatima Mansions, his work has been both brilliant and unfairly peripheral. For every acerbic statement he offers dark lyricism, and this moodiness has thankfully carried through to his fifth solo album. Coughlan shares production with Stereolab's Andy Ramsay and Oliver Knights of Turin Brakes, which explains the shifting tone of the tracks. As the title suggests, there is a subtle Latin influence on many of the songs, particularly Hemisphereand The Examined Life. It's not an instant album – the songs need time – but there is no doubting Coughlan's talent. That Scott-Walker-inflected voice has never sounded better, and Coughlan is still a relevant chronicler of past and present. See cathalcoughlan.com

Download tracks:The Frond Seller, Avail