Barry Dolan is Oxygen Thief, a one-man acoustic project. Recorded DIY, this is a six-track EP which shows you don’t need to have your guitars plugged in to have power and grab attention. While the production is a little rough around the edges, Barry’s voice really does the talking – he’s loud and aggressive and passionate and when your voice is the only other instrument after a guitar, it’s certainly a very good thing. While each of the six tracks is solid, my only complaint would be the hooks perhaps are bot as strong as they could – and maybe should – be. ‘Words From red card’ is arguably the best song here, a really strong vocal performance which showcases an artist on the verge of good things. Solo acts are ten-a-penny but good ones are hard to find. Oxygen Thief is very much a good one.
