Damien Dempsey, a star in his native Ireland but essentially unknown outside of it, has a bullishly passionate voice that sounds as if it’s literally bursting with emotion, but he’s been ill-served by the glossy, reggae-rock production on his records. There are two brief demos up on his Web site, though, that capture the raw power of his solo performance, “St. Patrick’s Day” and “Cursed With a Brain.”
— T.B.
