Imelda May - Mayhem

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An even stronger album than her 2008 breakthrough

Takes someone special to cover the genius of 'Tainted Love' and bring something new to it but Imelda May does that job no bother, and the rest of 'Mayhem' is just as catchy and classy.

An even stronger album than her 2008 breakthrough 'Love Tattoo', May shows more muscles as a singer and songwriter, while her band have become tighter or looser, depending on what each track needs - like the best gangs, they all add a certain something to their leader's power.

In the beautiful hard times ballad 'Kentish Town Waltz' she has arguably her best song to date, its country groove showing, like 'Tainted Love', a refusal to be pigeonholed and guts galore in tackling different styles.

After this, there'll be an explosion in the numbers of the faithful and the queue of people wanting to work with May will be longer than the one outside her favourite chipper Fusco's on Meath Street on a Saturday night.

Harry Guerin

Tracklisting: Pulling the Rug - Psycho - Mayhem - Kentish Town Waltz - All for You - Eternity - Inside Out - Proud and Humble - Sneaky Freak - Bury My Troubles - Too Sad to Cry - I'm Alive - Let Me Out - Tainted Love