Confidants Popical Island****

Where you’re from marks you in many ways. The more you listen to the new album from Land Lovers, the more you realise that they couldn’t be from anywhere else but Dublin.

The gruff stance of frontman Padraig Cooney brings capital city seers Dave Couse and Paul Cleary to mind, while his songs' superb observational lines and richly spun lyrical lore are more than enough to set a reel of city experiences running in your mind. Musically, Land Lovers get interesting when they move from the usual clutch of indie memes towards the more classic, diffident craft of Elvis Costello and The Kinks. Cooney creates meaty, magnificent, haunting worlds of domestic wonder in songs such as the title track, The Cinema Belland Terry & Julie.A rare gem of a record that will stand Cooney & co in good stead for the future. See landloversmusic. com

Download tracks: The Cinema Bell, Terry Julie, Confidants