The Secret Life ofRimecoat Records ***

A lot can change in five years. Since he released his last album, Addicted to Company (Part One), Paddy Casey has cut ties with former label Sony and is now making his own way as an independent artist. The mop-topped Dubliner certainly seems keen to experiment, as his fourth album is sprinkled with surprises.

Collaborations with the Shannon Gospel Choir on Wait and It's Really Up to You are snappy, self-assured radio hits, while the clubby dance beat of Lightsong sits unexpectedly snugly alongside the prevailing guitar-pop tunes. On the other hand, the reggae-tinted That's Just the Way It Goes and the bluesy chug of The Love Harmonica sound a little forced. Yet even though Casey's reintroduction seems a little tentative in places, these songs have a shy charm that's difficult to resist. paddycasey.ie

Download tracks:Show Me Yours, Wait