Cian Nugent – She Brings Me Back To The Land of the Living – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Cian Nugent is an Irish guitarist of some renown, up there with the likes of Steve Gunn and Ryley Walker.  His output has gradually veered away from lengthy instrumental work to more song-based material, tinged with classic rock.  This is probably his most accessible album yet.  It opens with a pair of countrified tracks: Empress and the gorgeous, laid back Sound of the Rain, featuring prominent steel guitar along with Nugent’s deft fingerpicking.

The tour de force is track three, High Up Airplane, the electric guitar conjures up the spirit of Rory Gallagher as it shoots for the sky.  It’s married to a catchy, singalong tune and is sure to soundtrack carefree, lazy summer days.  Siamese Sharks is very chilled out indeed, while I’ve Been Down is another breezy, exquisitely melodic folk rock track with the emphasis on the rock part.

The album finishes with two pastoral sounding tracks which run into each other.  The first is Pass The Time Away, more limeless fingerpicking, like Steve Gunn at his most blissed out.  It leads nicely into the closing instrumental track How The Time Passes which gives Nugent free rein to indulge in some guitar histrionics for five and a half glorious minutes.

The album manages to maintain a hazy, summery mood for its entire running time, like a classic album from days gone by.  If there’s any justice, this album will give Cian Nugent a higher profile.  One to soundtrack your summer.

High Up Airplane