Comparisons to Christy Moore, who is a fan of his, are inevitable. Like Christy, Damien, who is one of Ireland’s rising musical stars, is a champion of the working class. His songs frequently tell a story to make their point and he is unabashedly political. The album’s opening tracks - Sing All Your Cares Away and Not on Your Own Tonight illustrate these qualities as well as his powerful voice. St. Patrick’s Day uses tinwhistles and uilleann pipes making it one of the most Irish sounding tracks on this album, which relies primarily on rock and hip-hop rhythms. Three bonus tracks recorded live at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin close the album.

UFO 1007 CD $16