The story of Dublin band Lir is all too familiar: lots of promise in the early 90s, a gruelling tour of America, disappointing record sales and an obscure break-up. Now, with the release of this solo album from their former keyboard player David Hopkins, we can see that behind the hype there was always a rock-solid talent. He's already attracting comparisons with Damien Rice, and the introspective mood occasionally conjures up the ghost of Nick Drake. But this isn't just another self-indulgent singer-songwriter exercise - instead Hopkins turns out a string of delightfully spiky pop songs, tempering his natural melancholy with some addictive hooks and electronic textures. The title suggests that he's fed up hanging around and is desperate to get his career moving again. If there's any justice, Amber and Green will do just that.
