Riverside

The younger brother of noted Irish singer-songwriter Christy Moore, Luka Bloom is his own man and took the alias Luka Bloom (after years of performing as Barry Moore) to assert his independence. On this 1990 major label debut (after several independent releases) he comes across as a romantic electric-folkie. His lyrics consistently tell stories worth unpeeling, from his own childhood in “The Man Is Alive” to the suicide of Picasso’s second wife in “Gone to Pablo.” “Delirious” opens things on a quick, jabbing note that’s almost punk in its brittle intensity. However, with “Dreams in America,” Bloom settles into his comfortable vernacular with gentle guitars circulating amongst an atmospheric production that recalls Daniel Lanois’ work with U2. It’s here that Bloom’s haunted visions take gripping flight. “Over the Moon” and “You Couldn’t Have Come At A Better Time” represent Bloom at his most upbeat without sacrificing his melancholic charms. Like many brooding Irishmen, Bloom aims for a transcendence that hits from all sides.