British singer-songwriter Eugene McGuinness might have outdone himself with The Invitation To The Voyage, the record a comprehensive thrill ride. The Invitation… sees McGuinness lace his indie-rock expertise with polished electro-pop intricacies.
It’s a mish-mash executed to a tee, thanks to McGuinness’ tendency towards finely-tuned subtleties over fits of rambunctious experimentation. His progress isn’t reckless, nor is it too tentative, McGuinness’ past and present trajectories coexisting harmoniously and complementing one another well. Meanwhile, the record sports an unusually pristine aesthetic within the context of McGuinness’ catalogue, the singer-songwriter’s rough-around-the-edges charm sanded for a smoother result. The outcome, thankfully, remains as thrilling as ever.
McGuinness’ playful quirks and eccentricities run as rampant as ever throughout the record. Anxious opener Harlequinade unfolds with an arresting grandeur, while the fuzzed-out swagger of Shotgun serves up another key highlight. Meanwhile, Lion – the scintillating first-taste of The Invitation… – emerges equally as potent, McGuinness reclaiming the role of hysterical, silver-tongued riddler. The record is daring in its diversity, though it’s easy to favour its more electrifying inclusions. The likes of Concrete Moon and the title track are enjoyable and have their place, but they don’t measure up to McGuinness’ more savage, bombastic undertakings.
Intense and irresistible, The Invitation… is so much fun on so many levels. McGuinness has accomplished a great deal here, The Invitation… emerging an imaginative and highly entertaining indie rock venture.
BY NICK MASON
Best Track: Harlequinade
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Here Come The Bombs GAZ COOMBES, Catnip Dynamite ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JNR
In A Word: Exciting
