Broken Brother’s Secret Bells, Solar Taxi Music **

The fact that Solar Taxi recently supported Roxette in Dublin tells you all you need to know about the Waterford five- piece. Aisling Browne and co are unabashedly influenced by the power ballads and cheesy synthpop of the 1980s and 1990s, but that also means their schtick sounds undeniably dated on their debut album, right down to the glossy overproduction that ran rampant during that musical era. Once the overbearing lustre is peeled back, there are some decent melodies lurking in songs such as Chasing the Day, while Parcels’ portentous guitar motif lends itself brilliantly to the song’s gloomy tone. Yet, unfortunately for the quintet, all too often this is a record that fixates on style, when it’s the handful of understated tunes that catch the ear most. solartaximusic.com

Download tracks: Chasing the Day, Parcels