I found this album through Marc Gunn's website. After an introduction to his music through his solo album, I turned to his duo, the Brobdingnagian Bards, to see what they had to offer. Once again, I was not disappointed. The Bards (who are Marc Gunn, on vocals and autoharp, and Andrew McKee on vocals, mandolin, and recorder) have a unique sound that's very enjoyable to listen to. They simply don't sound like anyone else out there which, in this day of duplicate ensembles and conformity, is a very good thing.
Songs of Ireland came out in 2002 and contains a full hour of some of the greatest traditional songs of Ireland. One of the highlights of this album for me was "An Irish Lullaby." Sung by Marc in a soft, lilting voice, it perfectly suits this nostalgic song about hearing a mother singing a lullaby as she rocks you to sleep. If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself going back to this track over and over again, shutting your eyes, and losing yourself in the music. Another great song on this album is "The Unicorn Song." This particular song is sung by Andrew, who has a lighter voice than Marc, and tells the story of why we don't see unicorns anymore. Perhaps the funniest moment in this song comes toward the end when Andrew sums up his explanation for the disappearance. Marc's theatrics at this moment cannot possibly do anything but bring a smile to your face. And a note to those who have heard this song before: there's a new verse on the end to give the song a more optimistic spin. Other highlights include "Lish Young Buy-A-Broom," a song about a man who meets a broom seller and spends the day in love with her before departing overseas and "Patriot Game," which tells the story of Fergal O'Hanlon (who tried to abolish the border between the Republic and the six counties) and was heard recently on NPR's Marketplace during a show on the IRA.
If you're looking for the perfect St. Patrick's Day album or even just an album with some great songs and singing, I highly recommend this one.
Songs of Ireland came out in 2002 and contains a full hour of some of the greatest traditional songs of Ireland. One of the highlights of this album for me was "An Irish Lullaby." Sung by Marc in a soft, lilting voice, it perfectly suits this nostalgic song about hearing a mother singing a lullaby as she rocks you to sleep. If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself going back to this track over and over again, shutting your eyes, and losing yourself in the music. Another great song on this album is "The Unicorn Song." This particular song is sung by Andrew, who has a lighter voice than Marc, and tells the story of why we don't see unicorns anymore. Perhaps the funniest moment in this song comes toward the end when Andrew sums up his explanation for the disappearance. Marc's theatrics at this moment cannot possibly do anything but bring a smile to your face. And a note to those who have heard this song before: there's a new verse on the end to give the song a more optimistic spin. Other highlights include "Lish Young Buy-A-Broom," a song about a man who meets a broom seller and spends the day in love with her before departing overseas and "Patriot Game," which tells the story of Fergal O'Hanlon (who tried to abolish the border between the Republic and the six counties) and was heard recently on NPR's Marketplace during a show on the IRA.