Author: mrbaxteria2008

Ye Vagabonds: Nine Waves

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I am currently exploring the music of brothers Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn, also known by the moniker Ye Vagabonds. They emerged from the Dublin scene of the new Irish folk movement. Their forte is tight harmony singing and folk revival stylings in the vein of Planxty. Their 2022 Nine Waves is a winning album with robust arrangements and shimmering melodies. Blue is the Eye is a single off this album. The song has this haunting and gradual intro. It opens up like morning curtains as the harmonized voices of the brothers are over you like comforting blankets.

They have a way of dealing with sonic textures treating each song like an island in itself. That’s with distinctive styles and arrangements.It is something that can only come from years of musical dedication. There are also instrumental tracks like The Munster Jog/Tell Her I Am that showcase their skills.

Nine Waves is a rich album that resonates with music that has shaped Ireland’s traditional, folk, and even pop landscape. It is a must-have for those looking for young musicians who will one day be part of the ever-growing tapestry of Irish folk.

Matt Molloy 1976

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The 70s was a prosperous period in Irish traditional music. It was a decade where The Chieftains, Planxty, and Bothy Band came to the fore. Clannad was in their first period. I say the first period because they evolved into another style in the 80s and further grew it. But acoustically speaking, the 70s were great for those looking for traditional Irish music.
One of the names worth thinking about is the amazing Matt Molloy. He joined the Bothy Band before joining the Chieftains in 1979. His self-titled debut in 1976 is a treasure trove of beautiful tunes. If you think of Irish wooden flutes, Molloy is the name at the forefront. He is considered a trailblazer in the instrument of his choice, paving the way for other artists to come.
The refined energy of his musicianship is evident in tracks like Boys of The Lough and Toss the Feathers, among others. His gracefulness is showcased in tracks where he plays solos, like The Gold Ring(jig)and The Dunmore Lassies. If you are looking for albums and references, you better have Matt Molloy to give you an idea of what an excellent standard sounds like.

Sky West & Crooked by Caitlin Grey is a Beautiful Tribute To Nostalgia

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Sky West & Crooked is an intriguing song title enough. If you belong to the millennial or Gen Z, you must not have heard of this. It is a title of a 1966 English movie starring Ian McShane, directed by John Mills. I had to look it up and ended up watching the movie. 

All songs in this EP reflect that sort of 60s vibe with Celtic folk style. Grey’s voice is always better, but I encourage you to listen to this in Dolby Atmos for that 3D effect.

One of the songs is the reinterpretation of tracks we have already recorded by other artists like Loreena McKennitt and Clannad. I appreciate her contralto voice in this record because it sounds warm and expressive.

It is an EP you must play in the morning as you begin your day. Everything here sounds lucid and clear. It’s been a while since I got to write about artists in my network and enjoy their works on a deeper level. I encourage you to hear more of her works because she is an asset to the musical culture and community. So what does it take to be noticed? It is to express your artistic truth with ease and persistence. 

Tracklist. 

Down By The Salley Gardens 

Sky West & Crooked (an original song inspired by the 1966 UK movie of the same name). 

Dimming Of The Day

Dacw ‘Nghariad 

The Blacksmith. (I did a ‘gothic-style’ retelling of this classic English folk song). 

What’s Your Rainy Day Playlist?

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https://youtu.be/Ty2V7yRPbCc

It is another rainy week where I live. This often happens at the start of May, of course. So I got to thinking about a lot of things. I’ve been contemplating. This brain needs plenty of exercises. Back in the day, I could write three times a day. My blog posts were done with ease and passion. I also had a lot of time to listen to new music. These days you have to be clever. Time management is vital, and I should know better. Working at night and living by myself needs survival skills. Yes, I lost family members through the years. I am now in that part of my life where I can let my passion and thoughts atrophy or think of it as a beginning.
And these things I think of when it is always raining. There is more time indoors and an opportunity to watch movies, read, and listen to music. These moments also give me that burst of energy to write. It is my day off from work. Yay!
So what do you listen to in this kind of weather? Mine always circle back to Enya, Clannad, Loreena McKennitt, Anuna, Lunasa, and the like. I also listen to some October Project, Dead Can Dance, and more wooden flute music. These days I am filled with reflection thinking about God and how I can serve him. I am also studying Stoicism and the writings of Marcus Aurelius. Since I embraced my faith again, things will be alright, and no matter how bad these situations are, there is always salvation in the end.
These days I think about gratitude and music and how wonderful it is to be blessed with so much music.

Gráinne Hambly

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3 AM, I was looking for a superb harp sound and discovered Gráinne Hambly. So yeah, it is the Witching Hour, as they say, and 3 AM is such a great time to listen to harp music. Jigs, reels, and all types of Traditional Irish music can be found in her Golden Lights and Green Shadows album. This album was released back in 2003. When I look back at that period, I was just a young man looking for work in a strange and crazy place. How I wished I had discovered her music or the opportunity to do so back then. That might have minimized my life’s level of pain and disaster. My point is when you are in a crazy and unknown situation; you need music like this to find your anchor. This album is incredible in that it is just a harp playing this wild and wondrous music in a lively way that seems to give you that golden lights and green shadows-pun intended.

There are times when recordings can be overblown and overproduced. I have nothing against that. There is also a time and space for this recording that can inspire and relax you—the harp is an evocative instrument that stirs your imagination. You might have come across her if you have been following another harpist William Jackson. People used to call this style New Age. Now I call it Traditional Irish with an ambient feel. It is an excellent album for friends who might be in pain or longing for that hour of tranquility. I hope that she can release more albums in the future. This is truly addictive.