Like Christy Moore, Ronnie Drew and Shane McGowan, Noel Lenaghan's sound is distinctive even though it may not be to everyone's liking.

But, with 11 tracks on offer here, there are songs for every mood and all tastes -- provided you enjoy good music.

Opening with the enigmatically titled "Biddy Buller's Finger," Lenaghan leads into a fine set. The song is written by Lenaghan based on the life of said Biddy, who panned for gold in New Zealand in the 19th century.

Partial to any song reflecting an Anne, I particularly enjoyed "Come On Home Annie." Giving free rein to Lenaghan's guitar and solo vocals, "A Long Time Since" is another stand-out track.

One has to applaud a writer who makes musical poetry out of such disparate items as a "silvery moon, champagne sun, plastic bags and the swollen lover" in a single song, as he does here on "Mackerel Sky."

His ability to make music and song from the everyday or even mundane makes this album hum. He does it again on the track with a title every Irish small-town boy is familiar with -- "You're Not from Our Street." In this intriguing track he brings us Susana, who is apparently swept off her feet by "a Mayo farmer, the spud-fed charmer" and ends up with "paisti (children for the non-Gaelic speakers) pleasin."

The mixture of wry humour and romance is the bedrock of this CD.