The Niall McCabe Band – Part of the Light

Part of the Light, the début album from neo-soul outfit the Niall McCabe Band, is a vibrant affirmation of the songwriter’s palpable talents.

With the rich harmonic aesthetic of ‘Big Heart’ opening the album, McCabe and his band effortlessly interweave melodically, establishing the lush production and sound of Part of the Light from the outset. From this engaging introduction the depth of musicianship found within the record is translated with each melodic passage.

Opening the sonic scope and timbre of the L.P, the heart breaking slow-burning soul of ‘Hold On’ continues the record’s timeless quality, while the brooding blues driven ‘Long Time / Hard Time’ adds an extra edge by juxtaposing the softer, swaying aesthetic that forms much of Part of the Light, and also showcases the Niall McCabe band’s more aggressive leanings.

However, Niall McCabe and his band are at their best when performing the straight-up soul and R&B infused music found in ‘Folk, Soul, Rock & Roll’. With its heavily anchored groove, beautifully performed backing vocals and large booming bursts of brass, the joyous aesthetic translates a clear appreciation of the album strong roots and love of the music that inspired it.

While Part of the Light could have benefited from a grittier take on the genres it explores, the album veers dangerously close to losing its sense of self within its own influences, the Niall McCabe band imbue enough love of their craft and sheer musicianship that this aspect becomes less of an issue as the album continues.

Providing a cohesive sonic tapestry for McCabe emotive song writing to sit above Part of the Light is a sonically rich and engaging release that highlights the band’s talent and ability with each track, marking songwriter as an exciting prospect for the future.

Rating: 7/10

Part of the Light from the Niall McCabe Band is due out on March 21st.