Andy Irvine Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Irvine and Paul Brady (former Planxty members) team up for one of the greatest albums ever of traditional Irish songs. Their unique sound will stay with you long after the music has stopped. ~ Steve Winick & Chip Renner, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A great deal of today's Celtic music has ventured far from its roots, adding a wash of new age keyboards and heavenly harmony. Fortunately for hardcore traditionalists, singers and musicians like Andy Irvine stick closer to their acoustic roots. Even when Irvine writes his own songs, they retain a strong flavor of traditional music. Way Out Yonder is a lovely album comprised of a number of ballads and jigs, and filled with good singing and fitting arrangements. Irvine adds words to the "The Girl I Left Behind," a song of love, betrayal, and reborn love. An American version of this piece, "Forsaken Love," ends in suicide, so this more upbeat version, while still melancholy, is refreshing. "Gladiators" covers the biography of one Tom Barker, a radical union worker (a Wobbly) from Australia who fought against conscription during WW I. "They'll Never Believe It's True/Froggy's Jig" conjures up Irish folklore in the form of faeries dancing, while the title cut is a lively Bulgarian jig with some nice harmonica work by Brendan Power. Many of the songs on Way Out Yonder are long because Irvine likes to spin a yarn, and fortunately for the audience, he's good at it. The acoustic guitars and whistles underline the music perfectly. One instrument -- the harmonica -- sticks out as somewhat unusual in this setting. In fact, for the first few notes of "Gladiators," before Irvine's vocal kicks in, listeners may be under the impression that they had purchased a country & western album. Though Celtic harmonica may be unusual, it adds a nice touch and richens the musical stew. Irvine has crafted a solid album, respectful of its roots, and filled with fascinating stories. Way Out Yonder is a welcomed release and will be warmly appreciated by lovers of traditional Celtic music. ~ Ronnie Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This is an album of songs Irvine wrote about his heroes, from Raoul Wallenberg to Woody Guthrie. ~ Steve Winick, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The title and the vaguely Oriental-looking cover of this CD might make you think that you're looking at an album of Asian jazz fusion. Fear not -- the East in this case is a lot further West, in the Balkans. Though many Celtic musicians have been interested by the exotic rhythms of Bulgarian and Macedonian music, this CD is one of the only instances in which the fusion sounds both natural and exciting. Davy Spillane's Irish pipes sound marvelous on parts originally written for the more shrill Balkan bagpipes, and his playing here is inventive and expressive enough to silence anyone who thinks of the pipes as a limited instrument. The decision to invite Marta Sebestyen as a guest vocalist was inspired; she is one of the great interpreters and innovators of Eastern European music, and she shines in this setting. The ensemble work throughout this album is stunning, making for dynamic performances of spirited and emotional material. Kudos to Andy Irvine for making these sessions happen, and to everyone concerned for making them sound so good. Highly recommended. ~ Richard Foss, All Music Guide
'Rainy Sundays...Windy Dreams'
Release Date 9/1/1989
Tracks 8
Label Wundertuet
See Album Tracklist and Review
