A touch of Vertigo

Vertigo Smyth is a shinny lad with glasses, and when I saw him, he was in need of a touch from the barber’s razor. Now being a blinding bean poll myself I’m not normally one for name calling but it’s almost inconceivable that the sound he creates came from such scant a frame. I was at Java Coffee shop last Wednesday for the Galway launch of “Future Happiness” EP. It was shaping up to be a pleasant affair, I got coffee and pie and saw a two young fellas warm up the gathering bodies with a blend of witty and energised songs followed by soft trance inducing (but that could have been the pie) ballads. Like I said pleasant.
When Vertigo finally got around to tuning up this guitar, banjo and ukulele I thought I knew where the night was going. It was going to be one of those soft strumming sessions laced with craic that happen in the back of pubs, coffee shops, any grassy area, house party or street corner near a supply of Buckfast that seem to pop up around Galway all the time. That would have been pleasant. But nobody soft strums a banjo and with a voice as clear and powerful as Vertigo’s pleasant was left at the door.

The boy has Talent, and yeah it does deserve the capital T. I’m not a big fan of the whole singer song writer thing, whinging in earnest tones bout being left broken hearted by Suzie Rottencrotch. I just don’t believe ‘em. Mr. Smyth on the other hand has two things most of the pretenders lack, vocal prowess and proper lyrics. You believe what the man is singing. He is a dab hand on the frets too switching between the three stringed instruments with the ease I usually go from my first drink to my fifth. There is a touch of Mathew Bellamy (Muse) at his more tender moments in Vertigos voice, without the wailing.
The EP itself, “Future Happiness” is sadly only four songs long. It’s well crafted and expertly recorded. The sound is clear and the levels are perfect. The recording is a killer pit fall for the up and coming artist, great songs, and shite sound. Not a problem here. This is proper this is.
The first song is “Comfort Me” a ukulele led number which reminds me of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Somewhere over the Rainbow. It’s the best thing on the EP but not by much. The third track Can’t Leave Well Enough Alone” is the one where the Mathew Bellamy comparison gets justified. The other two show the potential master craftsman in the making.
If he released an album this year, judging by this offering it should be on the short list for the Choice Award.