Monday 20 March 2017

Tír na nÓg - A Tear and a Smile

The following, in anticipation of seeing the duo this Saturday, is a brief review of their brilliant second album, written in May, 2011.

My first Top Fifty posting - itself interesting - I didn't expand much. In many ways this says it all: there was no need. But I could have, and still might, as individual songs will always be absolute favourites [as opposed to simply favourites]:

Tír na nÓg - A Tear and a Smile

A Tear and a Smile
is the Dublin duo's second album, released in 1972, and is a folk gem, full of Irish lilt in the singing and fine guitar pluck and strum. The self-penned songs are gentle, earnest offerings - melodic, occasional harmony and simply sweet lyrically - and this album is indelibly mixed into the tiedye of my growing up at the time.

Before forming in Dublin, Leo O'Kelly came from Carlow and Sonny Condell from Newtownmountkennedy. Though their next album and later releases included more electrification, this is pure acoustic folk.

Wonderful songs are

Down Day
The Same Thing Happened

So Freely

Hemisphere

Lady Ocean

Goodbye My Love

Two White Horses


That's 7 of the 10 and I am nitpicking the great from the good.

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