ALBUM: Only Real ‘Jerk At The End Of The Line’

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Blending down-to-earth drawling vocals, wryly humorous lyrics, and sun-kissed melodies to create feel-freaking-great pop songs, Only Real (alias to Niall Galvin) has cultivated quite the following. Comparisons to Jamie T have accompanied his name somewhat inevitably it seems, but with this debut full length offering, the artist has arrived very much in his own right. Jerk At The End Of The Line is everything it’s title suggests it should be: it’s obnoxious, it’s in your face, and it’s damn good fun.

From the pitch-shifted intro of ‘Twist It Up,’ through to adoration-inspiring singles ‘Yesterdays,’ ‘Cadillac Girl,’ and beyond, Jerk At The End Of The Line tackles the woes and wonders that face nearly-twenty-somethings with a high-spirited sense of mischief that you can’t draw away from. Often nonchalant, sometimes downhearted, and regularly fast and loose, this record is, well, as real as they come.

‘Jerk’ kickstarts the album properly, it’s woozy refrains and brashly flirtatious lyrics an enticing introduction. Previously released ‘Yesterdays’ and debut single ‘Blood Carpet’ exist on the album as enduring highlights. Euphoric and lyrically comic, boasting chorus refrains so smooth you can practically coast along them, this is the essence of what Only Real does best. ‘Can’t Get Happy’ and ‘Cadillac Girl’ run in much the same vein. More lazy and hazy than energetically crazy, sweltering refrains couple with Galvin’s laid back drawl to craft tracks that feel both heated and refreshingly breezy.

‘Daisychained’ is Only Real at his most sun-scorching. Bubbling guitar riffs and a driftingly cool chorus meet meandering verses, and with no purpose but it’s own enjoyment, the track all but radiates with an excited summer intensity. ‘Pass The Pain’ ricochets up the energy, driving vocals and break-down choruses blazing with a sun-charged vigour.

With The Jerk At The End Of The Line no boundaries are broken, no conventions defied, there’s nothing here to challenge you: just simply good pop songs. Switch the volume up and your mind off –  this is a soundtrack to letting loose and to blowing off steam, to late nights on the town and to afternoons spent soporific in the sun, and it’s every bit as dream-like it that seems.

Jerk At The End Of The Line is released on 30th March via Virgin EMI. 

Jessica Goodman

@alotlikejessica