Songlines

by Karan Casey

Overview

Karan Casey sings for Solas, one of the hottest young Irish folk bands of the last five years. Her solo debut is a wonderful album, a program consisting primarily of traditional material presented with minimal arrangements that show off her crystalline voice to best advantage. The instrumentation is not always strictly traditional -- that's an electric guitar providing cloudlike washes of chordal harmony on "She Is Like the Swallow" -- but the overall feel is very much in the folk idiom. Despite the intrinsic lightness of her voice, Casey manages to deliver a blistering rendition of Ewan MacColl's acerbic "Ballad of Accounting," and she sings about the jilted "Roger the Miller" with deceptive sweetness. She also brings new energy and insight into such chestnuts as "Shamrock Shore" and "One, I Love." Her excellent backing musicians include members of Solas, notably flutist Seamus Egan, who also provides excellent production. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	02/18/1997
Label:	Shanachie
UPC:	0016351780720
Rank:	157146

Tracks

1. Roger the Miller
2. She Is Like the Swallow
3. Ballad of Accounting
4. Shamrock Shore
5. Martinmas Time
6. An Buachaillin Ban
7. The Creggan White Hare
8. The Song of Wandering Aengus
9. One, I Love
10. The World Turned Upside Down (The Digger's Song)
11. The Labouring Man's Daughter

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Karan Casey   Primary Artist
John Anthony   Cajon,Drums,Djembe,Guitar,Hi Hat,Bodhran,Timpani,Tom-Tom,Knee Slaps,Percussion,Drums (Bass),Hi String Guitar
Steve Holloway   Drums (Snare)
Lindsey Horner   Bass
Seamus Egan   Flute,Bodhran,Mandolin,Tin Whistle,Whistle (Instrument)
John Doyle   Guitar,Vocal Harmony
Chico Huff   Bass
Mick McAuley   Whistle (Instrument)
Winifred Horan   Violin
Michael Aharon   Cello,Piano,Dumbek,Synthesizer,Fretless Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Daryl Burgess   Djembe

Technical Credits

John Anthony   Arranger,Engineer
Traditional   Composer
Ewan MacColl   Composer
Jean Ritchie   Composer
Robert Vosgien   Digital Mastering
Seamus Egan   Arranger,Producer
John Doyle   Arranger
Winifred Horan   Arranger,String Arrangements
Leon Rosselson   Composer
Karan Casey   Arranger,Composer
Michael Aharon   Arranger,String Arrangements
Paul Smith   Assistant Engineer
Joan Pelosi   Design
Earle Hitchner   Liner Notes
Colm Henry   Photography
Elizabeth O'Reilly   Paintings
Rick Ridpath   Engineer