Tunes

Exactly “what it says on the tin” - but if it’s traditional Irish music you want, there are only 10 out of 26, plus a tune each from Liz Carroll and Joanie Madden. There are 2 traditional American tunes, 2 from Asturias, and 4 by Scottish musicians.
The remaining 6 are by each of the 4 musicians, but it’s only Frankie Gavin’s “Cappataggle Shuffle” that really struck me. The traditional material wins hands down for me, but others may disagree. Great playing by all 4 players, and excellent contributions by guest musicians Tony Molloy [bass], James Mackintosh [ percussion ], John Joe kelly [ bodhran ] and Mary Shannon [ banjo ].

“The Rookery” I would say is better known as “Bill Harte’s”.

I tried listening to this recording in a music shop around a week ago and was completely disappointed. I expected they recorded all the tracks in a very old-fashioned style this time for a change, but it’s just as modern as Lunasa’s recordings. It really minds me of the popular band’s first album because of Mike McGoldrick’s jazzy flute and low whistle playing with bass accompaniment.

So, I mean, If you love Lunasa, you’ll like this album too. But, if not, just ignore it.

Have to agree with slainte. have just heard this CD tonight and am disappointed that it is so Lunasa like. Exactly what we said when we heard it. Lunasa are fine to me but I did have high hopes here that we would get some great trad tunes from such a great line up of musicians. oh Well, you get that buying CD’s cold sometimes…..

Considering that the guitar and bass player from Lunasa were in Sharon Shannons back-up band “the woodchopers,” combined with the fact that McGoldrick was a member of Lunasa, it’s only natural that this recording would sound like Lunasa a times. I do like this CD but I can see the point made above, it would have been nice to hear them stripped down to bare essental trad playing.

I may have missed it, but I don’t recall seeing much discussion about the CD ‘Tunes’, by Sharon Shannon, Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick and Jim Murray.

I think it’s lovely, but I read a slightly indifferent review of it somewhere on the net.

I can’t hear too much of Frankie on some of the tracks. Otherwise, it’s got great tunes and a lovely relaxed feel. Nice percssion and bass as well, though perhaps that’s not to everyone’s taste. Jim Murray is very good. He goes in for quite long introductions, but I like what he does.

Dagger Gordon.

I have to say, I didn’t like the CD at first but really got in to it after a while of listening to it. They certainly picked the right name for the album as there is some cracking tunes on it.

I wouldn’t have had Sharon Shannon playing the accordion though. I know she is a commercial genious but in my opinion I would have preferred someone else.

I would give this album an 8/10

With a name like “Dagger” I would have expected a more acidic review.
I did love the album, but if you are not a fan of Sharon Shannon then you won’t like it. McGoldrick and Gavin are not all that prominent, but then that is because this is one of those albums where the instruments blend into each other. So you can’t so easily tune into just the fiddle or whatever.
There was a review that actually mentioned how good it was with Shannon flanked by three “God-like figures” of Irish Traditional Music. I guess that would mean the FG would have to be the Father, not sure which of the other two is the Son/Spirit.
It is interesting that although there are other musicians involved in the accompaniment only Jim gets a mention on the cover, the others do get a mention inside the sleeve.

Check out the comments on the recording posting:
https://thesession.org/recordings/1496

Musicmad, Sharon’s playing accordian because it is (or is partly) her album and the others obviously wanted to play with her. 😉

There are other good accordian players too, e.g Seamus Begley but he gets to play with Jim Murray all thime time. 😉

I think it’s a good album, though.

Donough, I know how Dagger got his name but it’s all quite innocent. He’s not a fierce man at all and a brilliant mandolin player. 😉

I quite like this album and I have to disagree with those who think it is too much like Lunasa. I am not a fan of Lunasa and while there are a few Lunasa like moments on the album they are only mild. My favourite track is track 5. Two American tunes apparently but they would blend well into any seisiún I play in regularly.

Also for those who want to hear more of Gavin or McGoldrick, simply put on a pair of headphones switch on the SRS setting if you have it on your player and with SRS there is a way of getting much clearer separation so Gavin is completely on the left side and McGoldrick is on the right. When you do this you will clearly hear that Gavin is on great form doing loads of variations and contrary to what some people have said, it is obvious he knows the tunes, but is just playing around with them a lot.

Who would ever think of saying that Frankie Gavin can’t play the tunes? Just listen to him play solo on “Frankie Goes to Town.”

Seltan D‘Uvieu?? It’s Saltón d’Uviéu.

Third tune in this set missing in the list.
The Cat’s Meow/Tickle Her Leg/Drag Her Around the Road/Saltón d’Uviéu

If this is like Lunasa, who I’ve not heard, then I assume I’d like Lunasa, as I do like this album. I particularly like the unusual version of the jig “Paddy O’ Rafferty”.

But the version of the reel “Drag Her Around The Road” on this album, if I’ve got the right track, is a much weaker tune than its equivalent (“Roll Her Around The Road”) on the Molloy/Peoples/Brady album.

This recording confirms what I’ve always thought about Frankie Gavin…the times his playing really shines is when his backing is sparse i.e. ALEC FINN-ish COUNTERMELODIES! Anything thicker and half the brilliant variations, etc. get drowned out and totally lost. That’s why I’m not a fan of his new band, nor this album…De Dannan was the best stuff he’s done bar none. The way he’s drowned out by the bass and other gimmicky crap…they could have had any fiddle player on there and you’d hardly know the difference.

It’s a damn shame that they waited until the LAST frigging track to just strip everything down to just THEM and not bass and god knows what else (not that they weren’t good)…but that stuff is TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was not overly impressed with the album either.

Hopefully next time they get it right if they bother.

Packed to oozing with self-conscious compositions, caic, and multiple-rights-claimed twee arrangements - move around or change a few notes, a smothering of cute percussion, slap on some chords, and a bit of flute-a-diddly-I-am, bob’s your uncle and it’s yours - IMRO / MCPS / PRS… And finishing with another hackneyed and repeated change of forms, from a jig to a reel… “Summer’s Coming” could be the worst of the lot… There are a few good tunes - ruined by the cutsie arranging… Cliché after cliché…

I quite love this album, although some of the arrangements and extra percussion I don’t care for much.

I think overall the worst thing on here is “Summer’s Coming”, just can’t stand it.
The real highlight of the album for me though, would be the last track, just a couple of trad tunes with only a small amount of arrangement. Love it.

I don’t feel people have talked enough here about how much they dislike Sharon Shannon, Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick And Jim Murray.

Is it worthy of any more words? 😏 At least Joseph attempts and succeeds in helping strike some kind of balance… 😉

But, it’s this compilation and general diddlin’, possibly the worst recording I’ve purchased in the last decade, but I got it cheap, one of Compass Record’s house clearances, and I suspect that’s how this one will generally go, for a few quid. But, even that was too much really.

However, dear Bernie, you misunderstand, but I’ll only deal with one of those on the list, one I actually quite like, a very talented lady, Sharon Shannon, on box, on fiddle, on winds, and, actually, one of my favourite box players. I just wish she’d step down from he clouds and do a good solid traditional recording, maybe with her sister, definitely with ‘other’ friends than this mix, and for her to let her talents show, even better if she did it, say, for a dance recording, something to do some dancing to that isn’t a ceili band.

So, no, I don’t dislike Sharon Shannon, not at all. But, I don’t care for Michael McGoldrick’s ways with things and I’m no great fan of Frankie Gavin, since you’ve raised that issue, but any dislike is not about the person but about the music, though I have experienced Frankie in one of his Elton John moments, being rude to someone else. As to Jim Murray, another unquestioned talent, he’s along for the ride that was offered him, and I’m not familiar enough with his music to say one way or t’other.

I will continue to fantasize about dear Sharon doing a really trad album, maybe without any compositions on it at all and just played well and straight, as I know she can.

I’ve had my last listen of this album, which cost me only a few quid, but it’s still a waste of money I’d have rather put in the piggy bank or spent on a pint, and it’s a waste of time I won’t repeat, so, as I’ll be giving it away to someone who I think might enjoy this kind of lark, I returned here to see what comments there were, and I found Bernie’s of a year ago or so. No, no one here I dislike, but I don’t like what they’ve done, I don’t like this CD and will be giving it away. Maybe Oxfam?, as I can’t at the moment think of anybody that we know who would appreciated this one. 😀

I really liked this album, but now I’ve been taught the error of my ways