To readers of a certain age, the name Pugwash will always be associated with a cartoon about a jolly sea captain. Dubliner Thomas Walsh, who goes by the same moniker, writes songs that are also like a really good cartoon - they're sweet, funny, unthreatening and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The Beatles influence is certainly heavy, but then if you're going to borrow from anyone, why not from the best band in history? Jollity is Walsh's third album and probably his best, mainly because the production is a bit more hi-fi and the tunes are universally strong. The only real criticism is that it's all a bit too nice, and the lyrics can sometimes slide into blandness. But when you don't want to listen to anything too challenging, just straightforwardly enjoyable pop music, you'll find it hard to do much better than this.
