POP MUSIC REVIEW : Hothouse Flowers--Nothing Artificial

With U2 frequently hailed these days as the world’s greatest rock band, pop fans--and merchants--are paying special attention to any other promising outfits from Ireland.

That’s a heavy burden to place on young bands--somewhat akin to all the “new Dylan” or “next Springsteen” proclamations that helped bury so many guitar-carrying folk or rock arrivals in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

But Hothouse Flowers proved in an exhilarating local debut Monday night at the Roxy that it is one Irish band that can live up to the expectations and scrutiny.

The Flowers’ sound is more rooted in traditional blues, gospel and country influences than the pre-”Rattle and Hum” U2, but lead singer Liam O’Maonlai exhibits some of the charisma and missionary zeal of U2’s Bono Hewson.

Whether sitting at the keyboards or standing at center stage, O’Maonlai, 23, is an unusually persuasive vocalist who twists his head with a fury that makes his long, stringy blond hair hurl about with abandon. It’s a sight that conveniently underscores the intensity and passion in the group’s music.

As with U2, there is a high-minded idealism and positiveness that runs through much of the Flowers’ music--the kind of message-bound themes that tell you this is a band that believes in the cleansing and inspirational qualities of music.

The Flowers’ lyrics, however, tend to speak in terms of combatting personal disappointment and despair rather than addressing massive social issues and values.

O’Maonlai’s message sometimes borders on naive and self-important. “I believe in these people / I believe in this age,” he proclaimed in “The Older We Get,” an anthem-ish song early in Monday’s set.

But he followed that with “It’ll Be Easier in the Morning,” a far more personal and affecting statement of comfort and support that is all the more endearing because of the disarming, country-accented melody.

Moving even further from the pulpit-like insistance of “The Older We Get,” O’Maonlai and the band then went into a couple of rollicking, soul-oriented numbers that emphasized good-times celebration. The point was clear: This is a band that can swing (musically) as well as try to sway (thematically).

Later, the Flowers--which also consists of guitarist Fiachna O’Braonain, bassist Peter O’Toole, saxophonist Leo Barnes and drummer Jerry Fehily--combined its swing and uplifting lyric bent in a song, “Don’t Go,” that is about as instantly engaging as a pop tune can be.

“Don’t Go”--built around an inviting neo-boogie/barrelhouse melody line--captures marvelously the contrasting emotions of visiting a dying friend in the hospital and then walking out to a lovely spring day that makes you feel great to be alive.

The song has attracted considerable air play on rock stations, but it’s so catchy that even those at the Roxy who hadn’t heard it before probably joined in singing the chorus.

The Flowers also employ contradictory emotions to good effect in other songs. “I’m Sorry” is a personal, though playful expression of romantic regret, while “Hallelujah Jordan” is a poignant statement of romantic rejection that tries to fight the heartbreak of the lyrics with a vigorous beat.

While the Flowers’ songwriting is uneven and the group has a tendency to let some of the soul excursions run a touch long in concert, there is an originality and heart at work here that is especially exciting to see and hear in a group just starting out.

Though the Irish connection will result in U2’s name being mentioned until the Flowers builds its own identity in this country, other musical models serve as a better guide to the Flowers’ sound--the sensual grace of Van Morrison, the everyman heroism of Springsteen and the deep-rooted revelation of the Waterboys’ Mike Scott.

The important thing about the Flowers isn’t that the group has drawn upon obvious models--every important pop figure, from Presley to Prince, has drawn upon the past. The important thing is that the band uses those rich influences to mold its own affecting and arresting identity. Based on the Roxy show, the Flowers is doing just that.