Back in October, we premiered ‘The Claddagh’, a highlight from Galway musician David Boland AKA New Pope’s brand new album, LOVE. Having said “via wonderfully wearied reflections and crushing guitar shapes, Boland sieves gold from the quite literal stoney shore in subtle, masterfully soul-lifting fashion” our verdict of the single could also double up as a summation of LOVE as a whole. Recorded at College Road in Galway, the seven tracks that comprise the release – featuring Colm Bohan, Stephen Connolly, G Tobin and Mosey Byrne here and there – coalesce to re-affirm, once again, that Boland is not merely one of our favourite Irish songsmiths at the minute, but quite clearly one of the very best – the most astute and consistently captivating – singer-songwriters around. This is beautiful, vital stuff.
