Here’s a secret. Ireland’s secret. Damien Rice ain’t all he’s cracked up to be. Damien Dempsey–the ‘other’ Irish Damien–is where it’s at. Imagine if Seal was Irish. Now imagine if Seal didn’t have a raspy voice, but instead had a powerful booming, spine-tingling voice that could be compared to a whole slew of alcoholic beverages (see Matt Berninger of the National). Perhaps you now have a better idea of what Dempsey’s international  debut  To Hell or Barbados sounds like. It’s part Iron & Wine folky, part tribal in its immediacy and sincerity, and part original in Dempsey’s own unique style. Dempsey’s voice certainly stands out above the lovingly delicate guitars, as it skillfully flutters and sputters gracefully like leaves from an autumn sky. “Kilburn Stroll” just may be one of the most achingly sweet tunes I’ve heard, blending beautifully with the charged “Maasai” or the cautionary “Teachers”. For a guy that looks like he deals in total badassery (see picture above), it’s pretty amazing that Dempsey has conjured up so delicate and earnest a record. Looks aren’t everything, you know.

Go and buy To Hell or Barbados.

Listen to “Kilburn Stroll” (4.9/5)

Listen to “How Strange” (4.5/5)