CACTUS: BOLD, BRASH

“URBAN BEACHES.” Cactus World News. MCA. If this Irish quartet throws in a dash of U2-esque instrumentation here and there, perhaps it can be forgiven--after all, Bono Hewson did give the Cacti their first big break by producing the soaring single “The Bridge.” That song is a tantalizing burst of this band at its best. Bold, brash guitars crash and howl with melodic fury as Eion McEvoy’s keening voice chronicles hope overcoming despair. There’s a lot of talk here about light wiping out darkness and strength kicking in just when the cause looks lost. Sometimes it’s thrilling, but in other tunes it’s too vague to make major impact. Still, this is an impressive debut.