The Winds Begin to Sing

I first encountered Casey on emusic.com, looking for someone else. Her voice was immediately arresting. She used to sing with Solas, and her loss has diminished that group greatly.

I did a radio promotion for the O'Beirne concert, during which the announcer played a brief excerpt from this album. By the time I got back to my desk at work we had sold 6 tickets-- for a concert four months away, on the strength of a brief 30 second clip! (from Martinmas Time, from her other solo album Songline) That's how evocative her voice is. She has the expression and range of a jazz singer, a little-girl quality like Triona O'Domhnaill (you may remember her from Bothy Band, Relativity and Nightnoise, as well as her solo albums) and a strength of expression and emotion that is unforgettable.

This is a fabulous followup to Songlines, and it takes more risks. "Who put the blood" is a retelling of "Edward, Edward"-- haunting but also jaunty. "The King's Shilling" has made it onto a compilation CD of mine. Her cover of Andy M. Stewart's "Where are you tonight I wonder" is simply dangerous listening for anybody recovering from a breakup. "Strange Fruit" doesn't quite work for me, but then, I'm in the South :) and it's hard to escape Billie Holliday...

As a singer she's now become one of the few artists I would buy a CD from on name alone. Don't miss this one!

That being said, most of the tracks on this CD are of traditional songs arranged by Casey. She has a decided preference for a sparse, acoustic sound, and I cannot fault her for that. Most often some combination of guitar, violin, piano, and something thrown in for color. All of the songs are thoughtful choices, and the truth is the quality is so high that I have few favorites. Perhaps "You Brought Me Up", "The King's Shilling", and the infectious "Eppie Morrie." "The Liberty Tree" I am also partial to because I'm still a revolutionary under this middle class disguise.

Karen Casey's voice is almost a grand success. She has a great knack for color and variation that stands her in good stead. Her range unfortunately is somewhat limited, and in the high end begins to sound strained when she pushes. On the other hand, her true range has the kind of edgy Irish quality that lends itself to the plaintive melodies she often sings, and works will in jazzy settings as well. I think her artistic control is excellent - listen for the little bands and quavers that she uses to bring the music to life.

I don't want to over-hype this album because it deserves better than that. Nor do I want to mislead potential buyers into thinking that it is all of a piece. Karan Casey uses a wide range of Irish music to demonstrate both its variety and its timelessness. This makes the CD interesting on many levels, and I think that is what makes it worth continued attention, far beyond the time when the novelty of its ethnic echoes has worn off.