About TimeCladdagh Records ***

Some instruments can be unforgiving when they take centre stage, and the banjo often cries out for accompaniment to soften its hard edges. The debut album of Louth banjo player Stevie Dunne suffers somewhat from this angularity. Dunne is a highly proficient player, and his contribution of seven original tunes sets him apart as a composer of promise. However, some of the tune sets labour beneath the weight of precision engineering when they should float free of such tethers. Dunne’s imaginative ornamentation is matched by subtle contributions on guitar (also by Dunne himself), bodhrán and bouzouki, but the Siobhán McCaughey’s ill-judged, soft-focus keyboards add little to the mix. A promising debut that hints at more rounded performances to come, with the benefit of a wider angle lens and a greater balance struck between the banjo and other accompanying instruments. See steviedunnebanjo.com