Cornerboys

Cornerboys

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Irish folk music consists of two distinct traditions--instrumental dance tunes played by a soloist and accompanist, and songs delivered by a vocalist and accompanist. It was only with the emergence of the Chieftains in the '60s that the concept that one group could handle both traditions took hold. Patrick Street--an all-star band composed of Bothy Band fiddler Kevin Burke, De Danann accordionist Jackie Daly, Planxty singer Andy Irvine, and Battlefield Band guitarist Ged Foley--achieves a near-perfect balance of dance tunes and songs. On the quartet's fifth album, Corner Boys, Burke and Daly forego all tentative and ornamental notes to carve out confident, surprising melodic variations in the instrumental medleys. With the possible exception of the Chieftains, there's no better Celtic-music group in the world right now than Patrick Street. --Geoffrey Himes

Tracks:

The White Petticoat/The Kerry Jig/Katy Is Waiting
Sweet Lisbweemore
Mike McDougall's/Paddy Canny's/Jim Keefe's
Devanney's Goat/The Leitrim Rover/Michael Ryan's
Moorlough Shore
The Kanturk Polka/Joe Burke's
Portarlington Jig/Billy McCormick's/Munster Buttermilk
Pity The Poor Hare: On Yonder Hill/Merrily Tripping O'er The Plain/The Kilgrain Hare/Pity The...
The Lighthouse/Neilie Boyle's
Down By Greer's Grove
Killanan's Fancy/The Dash To Portobello/Anna Maculeen

Amazon.com

Irish folk music consists of two distinct traditions--instrumental dance tunes played by a soloist and accompanist, and songs delivered by a vocalist and accompanist. It was only with the emergence of the Chieftains in the '60s that the concept that one group could handle both traditions took hold. Patrick Street--an all-star band composed of Bothy Band fiddler Kevin Burke, De Danann accordionist Jackie Daly, Planxty singer Andy Irvine, and Battlefield Band guitarist Ged Foley--achieves a near-perfect balance of dance tunes and songs. On the quartet's fifth album, Corner Boys, Burke and Daly forego all tentative and ornamental notes to carve out confident, surprising melodic variations in the instrumental medleys. With the possible exception of the Chieftains, there's no better Celtic-music group in the world right now than Patrick Street. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Bretons got no luck at all........2001-04-20

Celtic music, especially the music of Bretagne, Ireland and Wales, celtic music touches the heart with smiles. It's better to cry one's tears in laughter than in pain.

When I first saw this CD, 'twas in a bin of forgotten treasures (the cut-out bin! OK!).

Just buy it. If you don't like it, I'll buy a pint for you in any proper pub within, within a robust trek to the tavern!

No Harps No Angels.......2000-08-24

I've never understood why the name Patrick Street is not on the lips of every Irish music fan as the outstanding proponent of the genre. Indeed they are, and indeed this album stands as the high point of their recorded output. From the intricate and textured arrangement of dance tunes (the interpay of fiddle, accordian, harmonica and mandolin as lead instruments with a dense and driving underpinning from guitar and bazouki) to the sweet and lyrical voice of Andy Irvine on songs he has composed from old ballads and verses, Patrick Street has managed to do what so many more bands have tried to do but failed: remain true to the melodic and ornamental traditions of Irish music while providing an exciting and updated approach to arrangement. There's not a tune or song here that doesn't stand out as a perfect synthesis of the old and new, but the centerpiece of the album is Irvine's elaborate "Pity the Poor Hare" suite, based around his own intricate bazouki style. Irvine has elsewhere utilized the narrative of the hunt to embody the fate of the Irish throughout their tortured history (The Creggan White Hare, for instance), and on this album the effort is every bit as convincing. It is the overlooked song on an overlooked album by a generally overlooked band. The problem, perhaps, is that Patrick Street is so consistently good that people may take them for granted. Sad that we can feel disappointed when we cannot be surprised by yet another brilliant effort. Perhaps Patrick Street is too much the real thing; it is certainly not the new age harps and angels people seem to expect from "celtic" music. Thank heavens.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Cyber Baba 2000 [Import]

Gallery Of Classics: Tchaikovsky

Michael Haydn: 4 Symphonies

Blues and Vanilla

Keeping Up [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

Love Struggle & Progress

His Hand Is Outstretched Still

Levellers

I Walk The Line/Ring Of Fire [Live]

La Sangre Nunca Muere [Clean]

Less You Look the More You Find [Import]

Java, Vol. 1 (Opera of Danuredjo 7)

Full on V.4: Psy2k [Import]

Bach: Oboe Concertos (BWV 1053a, 1060a, 1055a, 1059R) /Ponseele * Terakado * Il Gardellino

Complete Recordings 2