Damien Dempsey's previous release, Seize the Day, came off disappointingly -- like a poor man's David Gray. He may have been blessed with a thick, convincing, Irish accent-ed singing voice, but his older songs too often came out flat and overly-labored. Whatever Dempsey was drinking while creating his newest album, however, has brought out the best in his art. Shots opens with the finest song Gray never wrote, titled "Sing All Our Cares Away." Its lyrics paint detailed vignettes of various individuals and their personal demons, leaving one wanting to know more about their unique life stories. The track uses nothing more than Dempsey’s lonesome, strummed guitar and the singer/songwriter’s empathetic voice; but that’s all it really needs, as these stories sell themselves. Although nothing else on Shots matches the magic of the opener, doubling such an artistic feat would be highly unlikely anyhow. Yet, the Celtic "St. Patrick's Day" and "Colony," an empathetic song about repressed peoples, are worthy runners-up, pointing out a complimentary commentary on his skills. Dempsey’s game is improving with each outing, suggesting an exciting follow-up to Shots.
-Dan MacIntosh
Release date: June 27, 2006
