Eugene McGuiness-The early learnings of Eugene McGuiness

This EP come album at a short 8 songs opens with high score with symphonic pianos and harmonising vocals set the scene for this hopalong upbeat song, with an unusual stream of consciousness as he sings "bravo, encore all the ravers are still raving, game over high score so tie your name in a perfume scented centipede, we walk the same street at the same speed" a song which sets the pace but is by no means the best.
Next is single monsters under the bed, a quirky beach boys-esque song opened by computer like beeps and sweeping keyboard as if in a horror film. Tales of teenage boredom and insomnia as he sings in an almost reggae "my will to move or even use my brain is weathered by eternal english rain" as the chorus kicks in beautifully and poply singing "i spent 5 hours on the net last night avoidin' the monsters under my bed with square eyes" problems teens know too well.
Vampire casino slows the pace with a gentle song comparing a casino to a bloodsucking vampire draining the mans soul as "It was just two hours to go, Before the Vampire Casino, Took your hat, sat you down and sucked your blood" a great howling song with great lyrical comparisons
Half way through the album, comes Bold Street an imagery feast of a typical city street as "Bold Street's caked in its own vomit" and there's "Burberry check, curbside sex and police cars" however this is really a love song as a girl stands amongst all this, beautiful like a star, as he laments the childrens song twinkle twinkle, sumptous in this context.
In jumps A child lost in tesco a song like The police on drugs with tales of wandering streets looking for something he can't find "like a child lost in tesco" a quick paced, breathless song.
The dream like Vela soothes the listener back with soundscaping guitars and melodic and echoing harmonies. A textured and pleasant listen, as another highlight.
Madeleine further wraps you up in a blanket of sound with the tinkling of a piano leading us through another visual world where "You were dancing like a dying matador, Amongst an armada of four-by-fours" and ends with the chanting of "I knew we were leaving, yeah, we were leaving Me and Madeleine"
That could have ended the album nicely, however the song "I gotta find a girl whom my eyes shine for But my shoes run from" is probably more fitting as an upbeat but layered, harmonic treat about finding a challenging girl in a confusing world.
A great album and an original breath of fresh air in the over populated singer-songwriter crowd, as well as a maturity beyond his 21 years. Although to some the vocals maybe grate at times it is hard to deny he can hold a tune, this combined with a natural propensity to create catchy songs with very visual and quirky lyrics, make this a very promising debut.
8/10