Foy Vance - Be with You

Foy Vance is the type of artist you would imagine might have a mystical air to his music. Having holed himself up in a remote mountain cottage in Northern Ireland for almost a year to work on a sample-based affair, an introspective masterpiece seemed on the cards. Sadly, what comes across here is straightforward bluesy rock that goes nowhere. Vance's voice is undeniably atmospheric and the chorus has a nice funk, but his album, Hope, will at least have to show a lot more diversity. [Sean Mcnamara]