Well, it sounds like Cathal Coughlan. His fifth solo record (although this album is credited as Cathal Coughlan and the Grand Necropolitan Quartet) and the former Microdisney and Fatima Mansions man confidently presents another collection of the twisted narratives that we happy few know and love. Opener 'Shipman Memorial' is an upbeat, poppy number that recalls the later Microdisney. Catchy and slick but that acid wit is never far away. Language is Coughlan's medium, and his lyrics reward attention. He has a way with English that is elegant and precise, squalid and dark and humorous. The musical settings show off these black pearls to advantage, with theatrical themes and echoes of cabaret, jazz and odd touches of the electronic experimentation that were a feature of Fatima Mansions. Several tracks jump out with just a few listens: Best Say We're Not Serious; The Frond-Seller; Mr Bib's Saorstát Star Time; and the spoken-word, eerie Terylene Ghosts In The Sunshine.