Wild Winds
Author: Glenn Kimpton
View album and artist detailsAlbum and Artist Details
Artist/band: |
Artisan Row |
Label: |
Lola Records |
Magazine Review Date: |
December/2017 |
Wild Winds is a rich offering from a London-Irish quartet (Conor Doherty, Elma McElligott, Pete Quinn and Karen Ryan). It bristles with energy and is generous in filling 13 tracks with strong playing and singing and plenty of heart. In fact, it's quite surprising to see that this multi-layered and textured album was recorded in just two days.
On Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples' lovely ‘The March to Kinsale’, Karen Ryan's fiddle works wonderfully alongside a simple backing of flute and keyboard. But the band and producer are careful to balance the tempo throughout, with vocal songs interspersed among the instrumental jigs, reels and marches. The two using words from the poetry of James Joyce's Chamber Music, sung by Doherty, are particularly effective, especially ‘Sleep Now’; the low whistles and soft vocal on ‘Dear Heart’ is a touch too gentle.
Overall then, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about this set, but it is of a very high standard throughout. It works splendidly well as an autumnal album to spin in the evening when it's a bit blowy out and the lights are dimmed. Romantic and heart-warming music.
On Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples' lovely ‘The March to Kinsale’, Karen Ryan's fiddle works wonderfully alongside a simple backing of flute and keyboard. But the band and producer are careful to balance the tempo throughout, with vocal songs interspersed among the instrumental jigs, reels and marches. The two using words from the poetry of James Joyce's Chamber Music, sung by Doherty, are particularly effective, especially ‘Sleep Now’; the low whistles and soft vocal on ‘Dear Heart’ is a touch too gentle.
Overall then, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about this set, but it is of a very high standard throughout. It works splendidly well as an autumnal album to spin in the evening when it's a bit blowy out and the lights are dimmed. Romantic and heart-warming music.
