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Let Me Use This Opportunity to Promote Karl Nesbitt…

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Before the 2010s, Irish musician Karl Nesbitt started an exceptional but modest musical venture as an instrument tutor. He also collaborated with other musicians and then released his solo album The Good News in 2003. His more popular sister Mairead Nesbitt was already on top of the global charts with Celtic Woman. However, I am more drawn to Karl’s somewhat introspective style of music. His music explores elements of pop, jazz, folk, and a little bit of classical. However, his style and delivery are hugely rooted in traditional Irish music.
He then withdrew from the music scene for reasons only known to him. The traditional music scene continued and, in my opinion, became enormous. However, I am unsure how streaming services like Spotify affect independent artists. I am also suspicious that the music industry has favored artists who promote their work via Youtube and other platforms, including TikTok. However, this makes me cringe, knowing that there are artists who are not and will never be part of this scene. Sure, these days, you have to be a businessperson/accountant and sales agent to survive in the music industry. But it saddens me that this stretches the creativity that an artist loses while multitasking.
Karl recently released an album called One in late May of 2022. It is an Irish fusion instrumental album that is highly energetic, inventive, and atmospheric. However, I am disappointed that little fanfare happened in the Irish music community. Something like this should be celebrated, right? However, the music scene is fickle, and people have short-term memory like social media. You have to start from scratch to promote your stuff, especially when the wave you rode crested and the world moved on. But real music lovers like me don’t see it that way. We always remember, right? We can wait for decades until an artist releases something. And when it happens, we love that work and shout it to the world.
Karl is currently performing live music with other musicians, and you can see his music updates via his Instagram account. Yes, I follow his posts and show support because we should celebrate such talent. It is rare these days. And it is a beautiful kind of music.

Karl Nesbitt photo from his Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/karlnesbittmusic/?hl=en

Listen to the new single ‘The Dawning of the Day by Celtic Woman. 

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The Dawning of the Day – Official Lyric Vide

The Dawning of the Day is an appropriate song to our current situation. Instead of succumbing to fear and hopelessness created by the pandemic, we need to look to hope. I’ve heard several versions of this beautiful song. One is from Mary Fahl (Former lead singer of the October Project) for her The Other Side of Time album(Sony). That is why the melody is familiar. 

Here’s the press release:

CELTIC WOMAN new single !!!

“The Dawning of The Day” is the first single release from Celtic Woman’s first studio album in three years, ‘Postcards From Ireland’.

The song will be released this Friday, September 10th.

Celtic Woman return with a brand-new studio album, Postcards from Ireland, due for release on 29 Oct 2021.

Postcards from Ireland – Celtic Woman’s new album and TV special – represents the sentiment they would like to share with their fans around the world. One of love, hope and expectation as the world looks towards getting back together again.

What better way to express these wishes than to write and send a postcard, but this postcard is written with the music and songs from Celtic Woman’s latest album. Stay tuned for more info on ‘Postcards From Ireland’ and Pre-order the single today or get it tomorrow here: https://celticwoman.lnk.to/thedawningoftheday…

Hurray, it is also my return to blogging. So this song marks my return to writing. I cannot promise to be consistent, but blogging is now part of my routine, whether I like it or not. Anyway, back to this tune, it is such a timely piece now that the season is getting cold and people are getting into an introspective mood. It is ideal for releasing any Celtic album during the fall and onwards because people will be more likely to be attuned to the vibe. This is just a personal view, and it is not supported by statistics, so don’t quote me on this one.

I also want to let you know that I always take my favorite music on a spin when I ride my bike. So it is like playing DJ while on two wheels. Cycling helps me meditate and also get in touch with my higher being. After the ride, I was inspired to write more articles. So my dear readers, expect me to get more conversational. Yes, I will talk to you and make sure my writing is authentic, unlike someone who writes a press release. You can bet on that. The new album by Celtic Woman is coming soon, so wait for that one. Let me know in the comments if you like the album, ok? 

All Souls by Eamon O’Leary is a Celebration of Simplicity and Clarity

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All Souls: A trip to humanity’s light and darkness.

All Souls by Eamon O’Leary is what happens when a crystal clear recording highlights  the beauty of beautiful melodies. The near-minimalist approach is a breath of fresh air, when the current trend of music is mostly about overblown production. His warm baritone voice is suited to such intimate songwriting approach. 

The songs are predominantly melancholic, but there are moments of clarity and joy-a celebration of humanity. It’s as if he is singing about your experiences because All Souls is an album written through experience. You can’t write this kind of stuff in your twenties. No sir. That’s why albums like these are hard to find. 

If you are wondering who he is, here’s what I gathered. Eamon O’Leary is a singer-songwriter from New York’s Lower East Side, originally from Dublin, Ireland. ‘All Souls’ is his first album for Reveal Records. I also found out that it was entirely self-written and recorded with Jefferson Hamer (Anais Mitchell), and Benjamin Lazar Davis (Cuddle Magic, Joan As Police Woman, Okkervill River).  My favorite tracks are Bywater, Marina Blue and The Weary Child.  

Although references to other artists are obvious when you listen to him, he truly has an original sound. If you are the type who prefers simplicity and clarity over embellishment in a production sense, then this album is for you. 

 

 

The Gap Of Dreams by Altan Released!

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I was already aware when their new album dropped. But I haven’t caught the blogging momentum yet at the time. But things have changed lately.

This is HUGE because any Altan release is always worth celebrating and talking about. While most bands in their category have either stopped recording or changed direction musically, they remain obstinate in their passion and vision. They’re like a home you want to come home to when all the world’s in chaos.

Thirteen tunes comprise The Gab of Dreams. Here’s the blurb taken from their release:

“After thirty years of playing on stages all over the world from Dublin to New York, Tokyo to Sydney, premier traditional Irish band, Altan came back to the hills of Donegal to record their new album, The Gap Of Dreams. The 13 tracks transport the listener to the lifestyle of rural Donegal, to a time before electricity when folks would gather together in the mists of winter to tell stories, sing songs and dance into the wee hours of the night. The music lifted the locals’ spirits and helped elevate them beyond the hardships of the day like famine, conflict and emigration.”

 

 

Home Awaits Loreena McKennitt’s Lost Souls.

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With fifteen million albums sold, it is amazing it took twelve years for Loreena McKennitt to release an album of new songs ( note that A Midwinter Night’s Dream from 2008 is a holiday album and The Wind that Shakes the Barley from 2010 is a best of album) so you can imagine the anticipation from fans. It can be said that artists like her couldn’t really stray away from the musical culture/style to avoid alienating loyal  fans. And Lost Souls is still supreme McKennitt at her best and then some.

According to her official site Lost Souls is comprised of songs that never seemed to be part of her previous albums. So they sort of floated around in musical space like lost souls waiting for the right album to come. And yes we are 51tlZHJLw1Lrewarded with an eclectic collection that sound so fresh. But the track that really stands out is this one called Ages past, Ages Hence. Although this is not her typical sound, it is not surprising given her theatrical background. It has a vivacious operatic melody accentuating her vocal gifts. Dark in its subject matter yet playful in its delivery; it’s probably her best track in years:

Ever turning, ever churning, clutching the waves
This wealth
Yearning there fast, never quench it
Tumble the thoughts
Until they lie like petals on the ground
Gathered by wind stretched through the trees
To the whispering sound.- from Ages past, Ages hence

Note that she has maintained the clarity of her voice through the years. Perhaps it’s because she is into fitness. I once came across a video of  her running and doing stretches before every show. I forgot where it’s from but if you search YouTube you may find it. That strong voice is also punctuated by the fact that she has great energy on stage.

Other songs recall styles from The Visit, The Mask and the Mirror, The Book of Secrets and even in An Ancient Muse. Check out The Ballad of the Fox Hunter and tell me if that doesn’t move you! The Breaking of the Sword is also not your typical McKennitt because of it is a Vimy Ridge tribute song complete with orchestra and choir.

Overall, Lost Souls is an exciting return of McKennitt to the global Celtic stage!