Alternative Country

In Ireland for a brief tour to promote his debut solo album, Chappaquiddick Skyline, Joe Pernice (right) belongs to the sweet and despairing alternative country brigade of songwriters that is currently providing more than its fair share of Americana melodies and eloquent introspection. This is nowhere better exemplified than by the Dylanesque album title and a rendition on the record of New Order's Leave Me Alone. Joe's present band, The Pernice Brothers, have been compared to the likes of Big Star, Nick Drake and the Beach Boys, recommendation enough if you like a mixture of superb tunes and nagging heartache. He plays Whelans, Dublin, today (a lunch-time gig at 2 p.m.), Cork's Lobby Bar tonight, back to Whelans on Monday and Galway's Roisin Dubh on Tuesday.