Portlaoise native and Softboy Records co-founder Kean Kavanagh released one of the most anticipated Irish albums of the year with his debut album ‘Dog Person’ – and needless to say, the wait was worth it.
Prior to ‘Dog Person’, Kean Kavanagh’s solo discography was limited, seeming to focus more on contributing to projects by Kojaque, Luka Palm and Gaptoof, rather than his own. However, the spotlight is well and truly on Kean Kavanagh now.
Standing at 10 songs (3 of which were singles) and 27 minutes long, ‘Dog Person’ is all killer and no filler. Kavanagh flexes his musical and vocal muscles, producing, writing and performing every song on the album except for ‘Emma’, which was produced by fellow Softboy and collaborator, Brién.
Every song seems to serve a purpose. Whether it’s the ‘post-punk pavlova’ (as label co-founder Kojaque calls it) experience of ‘Emma’, the fever-dream sensation of ‘Patience’ or the ode to the session that is ‘Roll Over!’, every song feels unique, bound together by themes and experiences rather than just one sound.
With ‘Dog Person’, Kean Kavanagh lives up to the hype, but such a short album will only leave us all wanting more.
Nicolas Murphy – Entertainment & Lifestyle Editor
