Semaphore = one third Irish and two thirds Italian. That takes some rechecking. It’s like being told Flogging Molly are Swiss or Steve Earle is Australian. Louis Brennan (the Irish third) takes on Southern Gothic Americana like he mastered in backwater religion at the University of Whiskey, Guns and Bibles.

In the wrong hands this kind of affair can come across as an ersatz endeavour, somewhere between a Rolex from Malaysia and an Americana band from Dublin and Rome. But Semaphore are so good at this that logistical authenticity becomes a moot point. They sing and play like they mean it and that is enough. Well, actually, songs as good as ‘Revolving Door’, ‘Platform Nine’ and ‘When You Can’t Sleep’ are more than enough.

True, some European efforts at the rootsier genres have been horribly misplaced, not to name any names, but Semaphore have enough talent and grit to be the real deal.

3 out of 5

Mark Grassick