Album Review: The Waterboys - Modern Blues

Mike Scott has operated The Waterboys brand for over 30 years, his full-bottle Celtic-ness the unashamed centrepiece of anything under the name – through more than 70 members.

At best, it can be sweeping and utterly sincere. The tweak here is taking this most Irish muse to Nashville, adding big Southern guitar and organ flows to Scott’s declamations. Sometimes it works. Previewing single November Tale flows, and Long Strange Golden Road is ten-plus minutes of Van Morrison-esque Dublin soul, but try not cringe at the “sideburns flickering in the breeze” as I Can See Elvis plods.