Having found the performer-ridden streets of Dublin not to his liking, Irishman
Mark Geary headed to New York and the altogether more forgiving surroundings of the Sin É café -- though opening for a young
Jeff Buckley could hardly be considered an easy gig. Considering the sizable Irish diaspora in that city,
Geary's songwriting hasn't quite coddled the "homeland" in the same way as other notable figures may have. Though touches of
the Frames' tortured optimism may have crept in through collaborators
Dave and
Karl Odlum,
Geary's music can more closely be aligned with another tragic American,
Elliott Smith, and labelmate
Josh Ritter.
Opium,
Geary's third album proper (1999's
Mark Geary was shuffled and re-released as
33 1/3 Grand Street in 2002), is cool and understated as ever. He's traded in the electronic beats of his earlier material and the last trappings of the Dublin accent have disappeared from his singing voice, perhaps not coincidental given the increased emphasis on his vocals. In their place are more intricate and progressive arrangements, melding the best of American folk influences with the subtle movements of
Radiohead, and even contemporary
Glen Hansard. Opener "Cold Little Fire" and lead single "Tuesday" are the most obviously transcendent tracks, the former resting on a very slight reggae groove that never quite says as much, and the latter a more expansive folk number that boasts harmonized vocals reminiscent of
Elliott Smith.
Opium's greatest strength, though, is its consistency: at 11 tracks and barely 35 minutes, it embodies every positive connotation of the word "lean," and is far and away
Geary's grandest achievement to date.