John McCusker. Hello, Goodbye. Under One Sky Records

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Since he first came to attention as a 17 year old prodigy invited to join The Battlefield Band back in the early nineties John McCusker has become a cornerstone of the UK folk music scene. His fiddle playing has graced many an album while his production and arrangement skills have seen him work with numerous artists and ensembles, one off projects, television and film work. Regularly nominated for (and often winning) all sorts of folk awards he is as often to be found working with rock and pop musicians and regularly tours as part of Mark Knopfler’s band.

Hello, Goodbye is his sixth solo album and it features a fine cast list including James Mackintosh, Ewen Vernal, Ian Carr, Michael McGoldrick, Andy Cutting, Tim O’Brien, Phil Cunningham, Jarleth Henderson and McCusker’s partner Heidi Talbot (heard briefly as the album opens). Coming 13 years after his last solo effort it’s the first to be recorded at his new home studio, a converted bothy next to his Borders home and is a welcome return to the frontline for this folk Renaissance man.

Aside from a (very) brief sung part as the album opens, it’s all instrumental with all of the tunes written by McCusker. Having said that the album is as traditional as the hills, jigs, reels, waltzes and laments all represented, sounding as if McCusker has grasped them from the very air, melodies of the ages, reshaped by each generation. There are modern elements in there, the funky bass line of FooFog for example or the nod to the American duo The Milk Carton Kids on the same titled tune, a fiddle lament with acoustic guitar gracings.  Throughout the album McCusker duets with various musicians on more fiddle, mandolin, guitar or flute as the rhythm section skip merrily along defying the listener to sit still. From the titles of the tunes it’s apparent that he’s written these almost as a musical diary, the titles reflecting life events, his own or of friends. It’s A Girl, The Wedding, A Trip To Roma, Molly’s Waltz/Heidi’s Waltz  and Tune For Nana probably all resonate strongly with McCusker and his family and friends but there’s no sense here of exclusivity. Instead it’s indicative that, despite his impressive CV, McCusker has kept close to his roots, as happy to write a reel to celebrate a friend’s wedding as he is to share a stage with Bob Dylan. A cert to be on the lists of top folk albums by the end of the year.

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Paul Brady. The Vicar Street Sessions, Vol. 1. Proper Records

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Back in October 2001 acclaimed Irish singer/songwriter Paul Brady managed the amazing feat of selling out a full month of shows in the one venue, Dublin’s Vicar Street. Designed to showcase his career and back catalogue Brady opened up his “little telephone book” and invited some of his showbiz pals to join him with the aim to have at least one guest per night, unbilled. A mark of his standing in the music community the guests included Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Bonnie Raitt, Gavin Friday, Sinead O’Connor and a host of others.
14 years later and we have a selection of songs recorded during this auspicious venture with promises of further volumes to come. Volume 1 comprises of 13 songs recorded on various nights, nine of them featuring guest spots. While it was Brady’s show several of the guests perform their own songs with Brady and band backing them while others cover the man’s songs. In such exalted company Brady acquits himself well with the opening I Want You To Want Me expertly performed and a fine example of his song writing which some folk place on a par with Richard Thompson and John Martyn. He closes the album with a fine rendition of Dylan’s Forever Young sharing the vocals with Mary Black, Moya Brennan and Maura O’Connell and eventually the full hall who join in the refrain with the recording actually carrying some of the passion of the night.
As for the guests, Van Morrison, whose announcement is greeted heartily by the audience, sings Irish Heartbeat trading vocals with Brady with the song beefed up by a horn arrangement and ending with some fine scatting from Morrison. Mark Knopfler gets all J J Cale on his slinky and sinister Baloney Again and Bonnie Raitt is on fine form vocally on two Brady songs, Not The Only One and The World Is What You Make It with her slide guitar kicking the band into Little Feat territory on the latter. Curtis Stigers blows into view on his song Don’t Go Far (co-written with Beth Neilsen Chapman) while Ronan Keating (of Irish boy band Boyzone!) appears on The Long Goodbye which fits into the overall sense of capturing the occasion but despite repeated listening it’s a song I could live without, coming across as somewhat bloated in comparison to its surroundings.
There are some intimate moments. Sinead O’Connor’s In This Heart is delivered a cappella with Brady singing along, her reedy warble supported by his slight brogue. It’s the most traditional sounding song on the album reminding us that Brady was once in the forefront of Irish folk music. Similarly stripped back is Eleanor McEvoy’s tale of a missing girl, Last Seen October 9th, with Brady on piano and backing vocals, a chilling song. Top of the class however are Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer who transform Brady’s Nobody Knows into a twilight zone inhabited by Lou Reed and Nick Cave.
Brady sold around 17 thousand tickets for his month long sojourn and it’s a fair bet that this belated release (and others to come) will be snatched up by a good many of those who attended. With a great live sound the album is engaging throughout and well worth a punt for those who admire Brady or have an interest in the Irish music scene. We’ll certainly be looking out to see what gems are unveiled on Volume 2.

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Ruth Moody. These Wilder Things. True North Records

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Taking some time out from her regular gig as a member of the Wailin’ Jennies Ruth Moody releases her second solo album just in time to promote her UK tour which includes a six night stint at the Royal Albert Hall as a special guest of Mark Knopfler. Knopfler appears on These Wilder Things along with Jerry Douglas and our very own John McCusker along with Mancunian whistle player Michael McGoldrick. A little less folky in its overall sound than its predecessor, The Garden, These Wilder Things showcases Moody’s wonderful voice and there are some excellent moments such as on One Light Shining which features Douglas on Dobro along with Aoife O’Donovan on harmony vocals. The Celtic tint on Life is Long adds an air of mystery and mists to a song written by Moody but which sounds as if it’s been sung in bothies over the centuries while Trouble and Woe which opens the album is a rousing skirmish with banjos and fiddles flying about. While the remainder of the album fails to reach these heights there is plenty to enjoy with the title song featuring a mournful brass band while Knopfler’s guitar adds some laid back twang to the song Pockets.

Aside from the starry guest list David Travers-Smith (who produced), Adam Dobres and Adrian Dolan provide some excellent picking and playing throughout while the closing song, the plaintive and restrained Nothing Without Love pares the backing down to ukulele and piano allowing Moody’s voice to shine. There is one fly in the ointment, a cover of Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark. Although it’s given a credible run-through the jaunty mixture of the regular acoustic instruments with a cello seems somewhat misguided and its very familiarity causes it to stick out like a sore thumb here. Perhaps one that would have been best kept as a live audience pleaser.
Speaking of which Moody is currently touring the UK. Dates are here and she plays Glasgow on Friday 24th May at the CCA.

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