Fionn Regan – ‘Put A Penny In The Slot’ (Bella Union) Released 11/09/06

This work by Dubliner Fionn Regan actually seem most reminiscent of the young male American troubadours who’ve turned to Dylanish acoustic folk of late - the gentle strummed guitar, soft vocals and slightly twee lyrics not dissimilar to Willy Mason. The opening lyrics in fact seem to dramatise the slightly anachronistic nature of using simple old folk to talk about the modern work. A list of objects seem deliberately chosen as all timeless, old fashioned ones – “I seem to arrive home with items form your home, there’s cutlery, a table cloth, some Hennessey, a book on presidents deceased,” is disturbed by an unsettlingly modern reference- “I’ll have them fed-exed to you.” This is pretty pleasant overall, though.