THE creative development of a young singer/songwriter - especially one who shows more than just benign potential - is one of the most interesting aspects of listening to music over a long period of time. Some poor souls show initial promise, only to falter at the crucial second step, and disappear from sight. Others carry on regardless of ability, talent, and instinct. The world is full of these.
Thankfully, Sinead Lohan does not belong to either of the above categories, for while her debut album, Who Do You Think I Am, highlighted a naive talent, there was little to suggest that she would progress in leaps and bounds so quickly. Surprise, surprise, then, for that is exactly what she has done.
For example, her approach is different from the way it used to be. Not half as reserved as she once was, Sinead now uses her occasionally ironic, abstract views to her ad vantage. She also makes fun of the general solemnity of her songs, instantly subverting the cynic and amusing the fan.
And while the "old" songs are a combination of the dull and the delightful, it is the batch of new material showcased that really impresses. Lyrics such as "I am dancing to the strangest music, sentences I say circle around me", and songs such as the superb (and very strange in a wonderful way) Everything Around Me Is Changing herald in a freshness that is both invigorating and welcoming.
We won't hear from Sinead Lohan for a while after this current spate of gigging - she's off to record her second album, which is due for release some time next year. But won't all the cynics be surprised when that's released.