Damien Dempsey is the hottest shit in music in Ireland today – with an platinum CD and Hot Press and RTE fawning all over him. I just sent a weekend listening to the CD and the best description I could come up with is a sort of urban Luka Bloom for the 21st century with a touch of Jeff Buckley (more for the cool factor). A contemporary balladeer with a dark edge and coming from the very working class suburb of Donaghmede on Dublin’s northside, Dempsey lyrics reflect that world, a world mostly by passed by the Celtic Tiger or sometimes even shit on by the aforementioned tiger as it fly’s over head in it’s private helicopter. While Damien’s heavy Northside accent might be off putting to some US listeners (and quite a few people on Dublin’s posher Southside) it certainly is distinctive.
2006
Shite'n'Onions 