The birth, re-birth, and enduring legacy of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks. ℘℘℘ In 1968, Van Morrison was on the lam from the mob and hiding in Boston. Author Ryan Walsh takes Van’s frantic story of “another time, another place” and folds it into the radical zeitgeist of Boston Cambridge in Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968. Walsh argues that Boston, usually associated with … [Read more...] about The Sacred Text of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Music Reviews
Music Reviews
A number of albums released this year and last have has strong thematic links to the Easter Rising. ℘℘℘ Rising Black Bank Folk A debut album years the making, Rising, tells the human stories of historic heroes, an idea inspired by musician John Colbert’s personal connection to the rebellion through his great uncle, Con Colbert, one of the executed leaders of the Rising. … [Read more...] about Music Reviews
Music Reviews
New music of Irish and Irish American interest. ℘℘℘ Legacy, Volume 2 Celtic Thunder This familiar, favored collection of incredible talent begins with an extraordinary rendition of the other-worldly “Now We Are Free” featuring Keith Harkin, who later in the album sings his original “Lauren & I,” a beautiful song made more interesting when learned it was written at the … [Read more...] about Music Reviews
The Rice Man Cometh
Damien Rice: o If you have lost faith in the possibility for a new singer-songwriter to emerge with a graceful album of dirges and lullabies, it's time to believe again. Dublin-born Damien Rice's debut album, o, has been released in the U.S. by Vector Recordings (see also www. damienrice.com) after being praised ceaselessly overseas for the past year. With literary references … [Read more...] about The Rice Man Cometh
Traditional Music Round-up
A roaring rip tide of traditional music recordings has been flowing out of Ireland and Irish America recently, much of it released by the musicians themselves without recourse to record labels. A listing of the year's best discs could easily include several dozen equally worthy releases, so limiting this roundup to a mere ten was a reviewer's nightmare. You won't go wrong, … [Read more...] about Traditional Music Round-up