If Whelan's is the royal palace of the Irish indie scene, then Graham 'Hopper' Hopkins is one of its most popular courtiers. After years with the much-hyped My Little Funhouse and Northern metalheads Therapy?, the hirsute Kildare man has reinvented himself as a drummer-for-hire, bashing the skins for every local hero from The Frames to Gemma Hayes. Hopkins is also a budding songwriter himself, however and this year he's finally found the time to record his first solo album under the pseudonym Halite. Home-made but not overly lo-fi, Head On is one of those records that struggles to make an impact at first, but has a quiet charm that reveals itself on further listenings. Hardcore Therapy? fans are likely to be disappointed - Hopkins' compositions are a million miles away from that of his old bandmates, light, summery and gently melodic. His main liability is his thin voice, which does tend to detract from the album's emotional impact. Still, this is an honourable effort from one of our most respected musicians - and chances are, he's just getting started.
