Hope you get yours soon plugger and zeeta if you haven't yet! I picked up a copy at the shops today and was so happy to finally hear it - oh and by the way yes Spud, I did name an outfit years ago Teh Wild Colonial Boy
- the one from the Who Most Beautiful People issue. That's embedded in my brain now when he sings the song lol.
It's an exciting time around here when there's a new album about! Here's my thoughts on the songs, I'm struggling to find a favourite among many I'm loving but top runners at the moment for me are Black is the Colour, Raglan Road, Red is the Rose and Bright Blue Rose. But really, at least half the album would be in my top favourites list that I will have on repeat and there's always something depending what mood you're in. Hope to see what everyone else likes as favourites also! Galway Bay is a particularly emotional one for me as well as Danny Boy as they are much loved in the family. That's the thing about Irish music, it covers the gamut of emotions and so many beautiful songs. So anyway here's a few thoughts on the new album,
To sing Irish music well, you need a fine voice. To sing Irish music beautifully you need heart and soul - in abundance. Damien is bountifully gifted in all and this album benefits beautifully with his Songs from Ireland!
It must have been a difficult task to choose from such an embarrassment of riches as the Irish music catalogue, but the final selection is a very satisfying journey through Irish music from the ancient airs to traditional tunes, folk and more modern spare interpretations. The songs evoke many moods from the joyous rousing Galway Girl and Rocky Road to Dublin to the heartfelt and heartbreaking Danny Boy and Galway Bay. Then of course, as always with the Irish, you’re never allowed to settle into any predictable notion when it comes to arrangements and you’re given for good measure gentle, cheerful lilting songs of crime and mayhem such as The Black Velvet Band and the Wild Colonial Boy. All wonderful!
The guest artists on the album demand attention from the outset, with Irish music royalty Sharon Corr joining Damien for the opening tune Black is the Colour - a smooth, laid back, wonderfully moody rendition. This is a true album highlight and I hope there’s an upcoming video to go with it.
It’s very noticeable straight away from this track something we’ve all who’ve been to recent shows have noticed, that Damien’s voice is maturing into something even more wonderful and you can clearly hear it in the strength behind his upper register in the last verse here. There are stunning vocal moments right throughout this album that showcase his voice as never before, in particular in the lilt of the Irish songs where only an honest and sincere approach will translate into a beautiful vocal.
Another trademark over the years with Damien’s arrangements is his delightful departure from the expected or usual harmony or melody. His new ending to Raglan Road is another beautiful example of this, a change which was a wonderful surprise when he performed it live in The Parting Glass and it was fabulous to hear that he also used this arrangement for the album.
Haunting. By lyric, or by mood, so many Irish songs are vested with this emotion. There is a beautiful melancholy to the Irish soul that famously universally touches humanity and is translated through the music. Red is the Rose is immediately moving in the arrangement, almost to the point of seeing the figure of Maureen O’Hara before ones eyes in a golden era movie frame. This version of the song has a timeless gentle loveliness to it that is both homage and entirely modern in its spare production. For me, this is another great highlight in the album.
Songs such as Raglan Road, Carrickfergus and Danny Boy imbue tragedy and heartbreak with an open-eyed recognition of the place that sadness and yearning also take in life alongside joy. By singing about it, the sadness is somehow elevated into beauty and transformed. It is the great gift of music and, in particular, of Irish music, to the world. These new album versions are simply stunning and worthy to their stature as much revered and indeed in some cases almost sacred songs. It’s not often mentioned but Damien’s trademark deft touch as a producer is definitely present in this album.The arrangements fill out the story but pull back when they need to so the emotion is never lost in overwhelming production.
There are many other such moments in Songs from Ireland when this haunting emotion is evoked in both vocals and arrangements. Even in songs such as the Wild Colonial Boy - which could easily be treated as a pub singalong - the essence is laid bare to the sorrow of the lyric and the loneliness in ultimate destiny of the much loved but wild colonial boy in that far off place and time.
The Irish can’t be sad for too long, however, and within moments if there are tears, there must be laughter again. Songs like Galway Girl with guest Sharon Shannon are a lively joyous whirl and guaranteed to place a smile on your face and get your feet tapping away. And sure, isn’t it a crime to be an Irish band and not get the feet moving. Sharon Shannon is a master of the accordion and her impact on the track is irreplaceable. It must have been so exciting for Damien to work with the artists alongside him on this album, both the new and his wonderful regular lineup.
The Parting Glass brings back such great memories of the live play/show from January. This has the full pub feel with bodhran at the forefront and a great night out filled with the warmth of an Irish room. It actually sounds like a full audience clapping along in the background even though this is a studio track - I wonder if this was overlaid from the clapping along at the live shows of the Parting Glass? If so it’s a great idea as it gives a great sense of vitality to the track.
Galway Bay was one of the most unexpected surprises of the album, featuring a duet with Damien and Bing Crosby. This track evokes the sound of the old classic Irish tunes but with the loveliest modern arrangement - it’s so wonderful the way the acoustic guitar echoes the theme of the song to cross the eras. It’s been done in such a respectful way that honours the old version of the song but has a new life that lets it stand on its own. (As an aside, I love the accompanying video which brings back great memories of shows at the Vanguard and the Moulin Rouge movie velvet stage curtains, a lovely way of introducing Bing’s presence on the stage)
The duet Damien performs with Bing’s original vocal is just astounding, their voices blend so beautifully together decades apart. And again, in this vocal, you can hear the changes apparent in Damien’s voice as it’s maturing, particularly in the higher vocals and free flow within the space, which are taking his vocals to a whole other echelon.
For the final word I’ve kept Bright Blue Rose. For in this song Damien sings with his sister Aine and their beautiful emotion in this moment entirely inhabits the space of the song. It must have had so much meaning for them to record together as a duet after all these years and history together. It’s amazing at last to hear Aine’s beautiful pure voice alongside Damien, they are both so incredibly gifted and I hope it may only be the beginning of their collaborations from this point onwards. Fabulous also to see the input of Damien’s brothers making this such a family collaboration for them!
Songs from Ireland covers a broad range of eras and styles of Irish music and has the right balance of light and shade. Like most if not all who post here I love Damien’s original work too and cant wait for his next originals album but he is also a great interpreter of songs and this is a beautiful celebration of his heritage and offers much to enjoy for everyone who loves his voice.
All in all it’s going to get a lot of airtime at my place, we all love it! Congratulations Damien
, I hope this album does brilliantly for you, it’s another wonderful one and for those who haven’t seen The Parting Glass tour don’t hesitate, the live versions of the songs in the show are fantastic also!
