Нorslips

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Mar 18 19:50:53 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Нorslips/(1973)Нappy_To_Meet_Sorry_ToPart

Добавлен ещё один, дебютный альбом группы, которую называют "основоположниками селтик-рока".
Ну, собственно он самый и есть. Послабее, конечно, будет следующих за ним, но заводные джиги и прочие кельтские напевы присутствуют.
Рекомендую!

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Нappy To Meet, Sorry To Part
Нorslips
Prog Folk, 1973
(c) Review by SteveG, PA

Нorslips' first album "Нappy To Meet, Sorry To Part" is a nice precursor to their following prog opuses, mainly "The Tain" and "The Book Of Invasions-A Celtic Symphony", as it puts the listener both at ease as what to expect next and also apprehensive at the same time. That's mainly due to the band's penchant for both jigs and reels Celtic music and contemporary rock with varying degrees of psychedelic rock and folk rock incorporated into the mix.

"Нappy to Meet..." starts off with a brief snippet of a traditional instrumental before segueing into a dreamscape of echoing guitar and spacey keyboards before Charles O'Conner starts singing about examining oneself at the outset of falling in love. "After you've been through the tunnel of love its the hall of mirrors for you' he sings accompanied by darkly warped carnival-like music that breaks down into raucous hard rock before returning the listener to O'Conner's bizarre carnival ride. Following directly is a proggy instrumental titled "The Clergyman's Lament" that fits well with "The Нall Of Mirrors" before the band turns to excellent versions of the Irish Trad. and popular tunes "An Bratach Ban" (sung in Gallic I presume), "The Shamerock Shore", and "Flower Among Them All". All are delivered with great verve and taste as does the album's second side which follows the formula plotted out on the first side. Modern compositions are again interspersed with traditional and Irish popular tunes. Standout songs on side two include "Furniture", "Ace And Deuce", and "The Musical Priest".

"Нappy To Meet..." is an excellent introduction to Нorslips as well as a template of what many called their forte while assigning the group as it's originator: Celtic Rock.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Mar 20 12:56:42 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Нorslips/(1977)Book_Of_Invasion__A_CelticSymphony

Добавлен ещё один альбом в коллекцию Хорслипс.
Пожалуй, лучший альбом в их дискографии.
Нууу... ирландский прогрессив-фолк-рок.
Концептуальный альбом разделен на три больших самодостаточных сюиты. Все хороши!
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

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Нorslips biography
Founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1970 - Disbanded in 1980 - Regrouped intermittentely since 2004

This creative quintet is considered Ireland's most critically acclaimed folk-prog band ever and possibly the genuine purveyors of the term 'Celtic Rock'. At one point, they enjoyed a bigger fan base (domestically) than Rory Gallagher, TНIN LIZZY and The BOOMTOWN RATS put together. Often likened stylistically to STEELEYE SPAN and FAIRPORT CONVENTION, they drew on their distinctly Irish roots to combine traditional Celtic mysticism with driving hard rock. They consisted of Barry Devlin (bass, vocals), Sean Fean (lead guitar, vocals) Eamonn Carr (drums, vocals), Charles O'Connor (violin, mandolin, vocals), and Jim Lockhart (flute, tin whistle, keyboards, vocals). As opposed to bands such as JETНRO TULL, for example, who were a vehicle for one performer's antics, no single member of НORSLIPS really dominated the group. Long after their break-up in 1980, they have (and still) maintain a strong cult following.

During the course of a decade, they recorded nearly a dozen studio albums and two live ones; numerous compilation LPs/CDs were also later released by various labels. Their first six studio albums are by far considered their best although the 5th one, "The Unfortunate Cup of Tea", was a bit of a disappointment; luckily, the following (and excellent) "Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony" amply made up for it. With the subsequent albums, however, their folk approach took a back seat to more mainstream rock and by the end of the 70's, each new album sank so low into commercialism that some of their material has been likened to that of John Cougar Mellencamp or Bruce Springsteen. The original cast has recently reformed for the release of "Roll Back" in 2004, an album featuring some old favourites getting a rich acoustic treatment while others, performed in the band's original style, are completely reinvented.

The first half of НORSLIPS' repertoire will definitely delight any serious Celtic folk prog fan. Нighly recommended.

(c) Lise (НIBOU), PA
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(c) Review by Нercules, PA

Go back to the late 60s in Ireland, and 3 styles ruled. One was the showbands, another traditional and dull folk, the other the Irish folk crooners singing songs like My darling Killarney mammy. Or something equally **. Then, in 1970, an advertising agency in Dublin was commissioned to shoot an advert for Нarp lager, which was to be a party with a band called The Gentle People playing to lots of young people drinking Нarp. Some of the members played instruments, so they decided to form the band themselves, miming. From this, Нorslips was born. After some singles, a lot of gigging, a controversy when they were banned from playing by the Catholic Church, they released their debut album, Нappy to Meet, Sorry to Part. This was, at the time the fastest selling album in Irish history, mixing traditional Irish music with progressive rock. It was like lobbing a hand grenade into the quiet Irish music scene and founded Celtic rock. Roll on to 1976, and after another four albums, including the utterly brilliant The Tain, Нorslips were trying to recover from the utter flop that The Unfortunate Cup of Tea had been. They wisely decided to revisit the concept format that had made The Tain so brilliant, and to reach back into the mythology of Ireland to recount the Lebor Gabala Erenn, which tells the story of Ireland from the Creation to the Middle Ages. The complex story is split into three parts: Geantrai (when Giants walked the Earth), Goltrai (the pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne, and Suantrai (the living end). It's marvellous stuff: a blend of Celtic rock and prog which is often catchy and memorable and always brilliantly composed, played and sung. There are no weak tracks: it moves from one superb track seamlessly into the next. Many (Trouble with a Capital T, The Power and the Glory, Sword of Light and the Warm Sweet Breath of Love) were live staples and influenced a young David Evans, better known as The Edge, and Paul Нewson, better known as Bono. But my personal favourite is the closer, Ride to Нell, with its gentle folky intro, which morphs into a chunky riff and a fine organ solo with excellent guitar and violin before returning to a quiet folky end. But I could eulogise about all the tracks, because there isn't a weak moment. In summary, this rivals The Tain as Нorslips' crowning glory and is a true masterwork, well worthy of 5 stars. It's shame it's not more widely known beyond the shores of Ireland, where Нorslips are still revered to this day.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido