Dream on - Michael J Sheehy

The recent release of follow up, 'Ill Gotten Gains', continued this thread. With what sounds like a series of torch songs from the last century, Sheehy continued to plough the furrow of unrelieved self-loathing that was so obvious on his debut. "I'm still a miserable f*cker anyway," he says. "I think sound-wise I made a few improvements but it's very much the same sort of subject matter. I've been developing the dark humour a little more. That's something that I feel gets lost a lot in what I do. It's not bust-your-gut kind of funny of course...but quite a bit of that creeps in to the new album. I'm still obsessed with the losers and people who are a little bit f*cked up."

On 'Ill Gotten Gains' Sheehy croons his way through the story of a bloodied boxer who throws a fight ('No One Recognised Him'); cranks up some industrial umph to put a further edge on the confessional 'Michael Jnr' - sung to a fictional son "born mad" because he was conceived on drugs; and treads close to the line as he tackles sado-masochism and girlfriend beating on 'Some People Love to Get Hurt'. Despite the odd splash of grim humour, it's not easy listening by any means.

Agreeing that his writing is sometimes cathartic, Sheehy says it is easier to write about the darker side of life. "I think it's very, very difficult to write a song that expresses ecstasy and feelings of happiness. I wouldn't say it's something I'm not interested in doing, because I am, but I just don't have it in me, to be honest with you." So is it all gloom and doom in the Sheehy household? "When I'm at home the kind of music I listen to is not necessarily the kind of music I make. I'd much rather listen to something more positive."

Although Sheehy insists "you can't really be down all the time," his songs seem to belie this sentiment. Maybe it's Catholic guilt? Born to an Irish family in London he very much feels that inheritance is part of his music. "London-Irish themes very much inform what I do," he says. "I think as well that being brought up a Catholic always seems to creep into songs."

Having played a solo show in Dublin last year, Sheehy is looking forward to coming back to Ireland. "I'm going to bring a group this time to play on a few of the songs so it will bring a different dimension to it. I can't really resist the urge to rock out every now and then. Even though it was something that I was really trying to escape from, there's still that sort of need to turn it up and stick my foot up on the monitor and act the fool."

It's also an attempt to escape the ubiquitous "singer/songwriter" tag. "I don't really see myself in that kind of way. I think a lot of what I do is more experimental than perhaps some of the singer/songwriters that I see coming through. I guess there's every chance I'm going to get lost underneath everything but I'm kinda used to that anyway," he says fatalistically. "Being with the [generally ignored] Dream City Film Club for five years and then doing this for two years.I'm still struggling. But that's ok, I'm quite happy to just keep soldiering on as long as I get to do what I want to do."

Caroline Hennessy

Michael J Sheehy plays The Shelter @ Vicar Street on 28 November; Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh on 29 November; Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick on 30 November; Triskel Arts Centre, Cork on 1 December and Lonergan's Bar, Clonmel, on 2 December.