Feb 6th 2000
TIM O'SHEA and FRIENDS
Fair Dawning
12 Tracks 40 minutes and 11 seconds
Lackeen Records LakCD001
This is one of those albums that have been lying around the office for a few months, (always send in 3 copies one will eventually make it out the door to the review panel-Ed). Fair Dawning has been regularly tossed into a computer to enthuse the muse as we mine for metaphors.
Tim O'Shea is from Killarney and judging by the quality of music it's not only the local lakes that have depth and sparkle in the kingdom.
The linear notes are excellent, easy to read, imaginatively laid out, succinct and full of detail. Tune sources are credited, both from the oral tradition and printed collections. If you want the notation to the Flax in Bloom for instance Tim directs you to the version in Breathnach's Volume 4 and the revised O'Neill's, he also gives us a short list on alternative titles.
There are four songs on the album, One Starry Night (by Liam Weldon), Monday Morning (by Andy M. Stewart), Welcoming Paddy Home (by Willie McEvoy), given a tantalisingly short Carolanesque introduction. The last song on the album is Phil Colclough's Song for Ireland. Writers and copyrights are acknowledged which is how it should be (and often isn't). The singing is good if a little bit folky (in the American sense).
The tunes are the real finds here and fans of the concertina will be delighted with the opening track, The New and Old Copperplates played by Barry Magee. Tim O'Shea plays guitar and bodhr‡n and adds the vocals there are two fiddles Rob Stafford and Paddy Jones who adds his own brand of Kerry frappe a pied. The album notes humbly say this is their first attempt at recording. On the strength of their musicianship, scholarship and all round attention to detail I hope it is the first of many trips to the studio.
ANDY RYAN
