Hailing from Northern Ireland, the quintet
Ghost of an American Airman released their debut effort with 1992's
Life Under Giants. Produced by
Mark Opitz (
Divinyls,
INXS,
Hoodoo Gurus), the band was led by lead singer/guitarist Dodge McKay. McKay possesses a big voice that has a considerable amount of warmth. The band falls into the class of jangly guitar bands of the mid-'80s and is comparable, to a lesser degree, to
U2 or An Emotional Fish. The lyrics are blue-collar and focus on the struggles of the everyman. The songs are more than listenable, but there are few that really stand out and linger after the album ends. Some of the stronger cuts are "Honeychild," a buoyant love song with a soaring vocal, and "House on Fire," which features some lovely guitar work from Ben Trowell (who also contributes backing vocals). ~ Tom Demalon