The Filet Mignon of Irish-Americana Music — Lean and Flavorful
It’s taken awhile for me to get to this CD and I apologize. It may have been because I own several Solas (pronounced Shu-less) albums and I am familiar with them so I put them off for a while. But, that putting off grew into months and I still feel it necessary to talk about this sixteen-track collection. A marvelous hour-plus worth of music hoe-down and celebration that features all of the members of Solas’ twenty-year career as they come together like a family reunion. On this endeavor they create an intensely satisfying all-star, one-time, get together for their new album “All These Years.”
For those not familiar with Solas – this has always been a first class, inspired Irish-Americana band and their place in this type of music as performers, musicians and most importantly their influence on other musicians in other similar bands, cannot be challenged. And they originated in the U.S.A!
Eleven albums out and these albums still sell and the band still performs and records. What is spooky about this band is the ease in which these masters play (Live in Long Beach 2012 featured below is a great example — fasten your seat belts for the concluding tune — it’s a roller coaster ride).
It’s like it’s nothing for them to play. They simply play the way we mortals breathe.
This is the music underground – a place where those other commercial musicians and performers seldom journey. It’s a place where the real and accomplished singer-songwriters dwell, and the intense creative and polished musicians ply their silent trade for an appreciative audience. This is not like a hamburger or hot dog – these people are the filet mignon of music.
Solas has pushed the boundaries throughout their career. The musicians are all virtuosos and their impeccable arrangements and melodic landscapes are about as satisfying as cheesecake with whipped cream and brandy. No calories. The current line-up with past/present members, with some founders spice this reunion: multi-instrumentalist / founder Seamus Egan, fiddler Winifred Horan, accordionist Mick McAuley, guitarist Eamon McElholm, and Solas’ new female vocalist, the stunning Moira Smiley. “Lay Me Down,” – third track in is emotionally moving as sung by the silky vocalist Moira – she brings quite a “sound” to the family.
Her tone is as moving as the effort by Susan Osborne on The Paul Winter Consort recording “Lay Down Your Burden.” This is the kind of music that a younger generation is missing. Melodically sound, tight, and moving. Solas never seems to run out of ideas whether original, or covers of traditional tunes. They insure the beauty of many, many songs that could have been otherwise lost to history. This is not a nostalgic effort – this is old school meets new school and they realize musically – how much they all have in common.
This is not an oldies album – no, far from it. It’s a look back with refreshing arrangements and songs pumped alive with enduring power and ingenuity. And it all works seamlessly. Irish music is always, if nothing else, intensely melodic. Almost impossible not to move your feet when any of their tunes starts up. They take age-old traditional songs and they polish them so bright they sound as if they were written today. Believe it or not, this band’s origination was not in some countryside saloon in Ireland. But, in a smoky dark bar in New York’s Irish traditional scene.
If the Celtic punk-rock-folk band The Pogues are all whisky in their musical attack, Solas is well-aged Scotch — single malt. Their first album in 1996 provided wicked, complex songs. I picked up on them with their 2000 album “The Hour Before Dawn,” and I never stopped listening.
On this collection, vocalist Noriana Kennedy sings lovely and surreal on “Wandering Aengus,” and all the intricate strings and melodies meld into one like a quilt. Jesse Colin Young’s (The Youngbloods) classic “Darkness Darkness” is sung effectively by Ms. Smiley and she shows the value added to this fine band. How wise they were to include her in this latest Solas incarnation. She has the folky feel of Sandy Denny and Linda Thompson yet, her voice can go deep and dramatic as June Tabor or Christine Collister. The musicians are wound tight like a clock – plucking mandolin, sawing fiddle and deep resounding percussion that thuds in your heart. Remember, this is an Irish-Americana band who have performed ancient instrumental reels, instrumentals and they manage to slide a 1970’s folk-rock song into the mix to the degree that a listener can’t even tell that these songs are generations apart. That’s precision. That’s great music.
I’m not big on instrumentals but, “Lost in Quimper,” is an upbeat old-world foot stomper. This is a melody in search of a movie. This would be so perfect over the beginning or end credits in a great film. It’s arranged with such gusto, and the musicians absolutely sound like they are enjoying playing it. They sound like one unit — multiple petals that make up the flower as they go through the melody. A little tinkle of bells in the background is subliminal, yet you hear it and as minor as it is it plays a huge role in the personality of the tune. The fiddle playing here is as dramatic as a mellotron in a King Crimson piece. Tantalizing.
And just as you thought, well that’s it – “Unnamed Shetland Reel/Da New Rigged Ship” comes bouncing in and it’s equal in depth to its instrumental predecessor. These musicians are pro’s pros. These are the people that accomplished musicians look up to and smile. When music fuses together so tight it sounds like it couldn’t possibly be several people playing at once – it’s too uniformly perfect. Well, yes, that’s what an Irish reel is. Perfection personified. Something that can be appreciated by any heritage, culture, religion or culture. It’s like the blues, it goes into the heart hard and fast and down your legs into your feet and you can’t stop it from moving you. Bring in new planks boys, the dance floor’s worn out.
There are many great Irish artists who perform and record. Solas is among the very best – the best because they transcend the traditional. They make songs many younger listeners would otherwise ignore – interesting. They provoke people who want to play music pick up a guitar, fiddle or mandolin. Their music is challenging, but when they play you can hear the joy of performance in their fingers. They make wanting to practice and be as good as they are a motivating force. There is nothing like communicating through your fingers or breath and being in perfect communion with another musician – or group of musicians. People who are nonverbal can “speak” through their instruments when they play. It’s actually miraculous.
Many former lead singers take their place up at the microphone and each lends their special vocal abilities to the songs on this collection. Deirdre Scanlan is marvelous on “Padraig Og Mo Chroi.” Karan Casey is quite effective and emotional on the acoustically beautiful Patty Griffin cover “Not Alone.” This version, no doubt, has all the earmarks of a commercially viable hit. Mairead Phelan sings “Little Bird of Heaven,” breathy and provocative. Quite a departure from the other styles, but her voice is so pristine it goes into your ear like cotton. With headphones, it would sound like this young lady is right in your head, whispering every innocent lilting word. The acoustic guitar and fiddle mix like cream cheese and jelly on a toasted bagel. This is sweet stuff, but so satisfying. So, so satisfying.
“Mr. and Mrs, Walsh,” is another Seamus Egan original instrumental. It comes on with the strength of the Oyster Band, Spirit of the West and Great Big Sea. Nice big sound, full and in the gut. Again, it’s all about the melody and the intertwining instruments that pass between each other like a thread through a needle. Surprised? This is Solas – this is what they do.
Moira returns to sing the traditional “As I Went Out Walking,” and plays five-string banjo. Moira has a tone on this song which reminds me of the original angelic voice of none other than Marianne Faithful. If you don’t believe me check Marianne’s brilliant 1965 cover of the traditional “Wild Mountain Tyme,” or “Go Away from My World,” and “Summer Nights,” or her cover of The Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By.” This was the voice she possessed which she had hits and years before her voice changed into a more cigarette-scratchy world-weary tone. It’s quite shocking. She had such a beautiful angelic voice — it could have rivaled Sandy Denny.
Now comes a tune called “Willie Moore,” and it sounds like something the Appalachian singers would have sung in the mountains of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee. A story song with lots of whisky and wood in it. This is something you would hear in a film like “Songcatcher,” which was about a woman who tried to trace the origins of mountain music back to its birthplace in Scotland, Ireland and England. Niamh Varian Barry does a fine job with her smooth vocals on this rich folk tune arranged by Solas. These are the songs Bob Dylan may have heard in his youth that motivated him to become a folk singer. This song also reminds me of what the McGarrigle Sisters were doing prior to Kate McGarrigle’s death in 2010.
With “Sixteen Come Next Sunday,” there’s a hint of what Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and the early Strawbs featuring Sandy Denny were exploring in the late 60’s. This is more in keeping with old traditions and may not be for all tastes. I appreciate the aged approach – the mandolin / concertina/ bouzouki work similar to Amazing Blondell, but not as medieval in tradition.
The final track is a classy close out with just Winifred Horan on fiddles and Seamus Egan on piano. The founding fathers of Solas. The tune is pensive, reflective and reverent.
Twenty years of Solas was produced by Seamus Egan. John Anthony engineered this album, but he is not the producer John Anthony who worked with the progressive rock bands Van der Graaf Generator, Genesis and others from that era. The CD artwork was designed by Robert Hakalski at Visual Machinery and is a subtle color six panel die cut fold out with much information. No lyric booklet, but lots of information.
Website: http://www.solasmusic.com/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/solasmusic
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request. YouTube images are standard YouTube license.
John Apice / No Depression / December 2016