Karan Casey Distant Shore CD

Having established herself as a marvelous traditional Irish singer, Karan Casey's decided to spread her wings and head into contemporary folk-pop. It's a good decision, as she proves to be just as adept and intimate a performer on modern material as the old songs. She's also an astute judge of songwriters, whether it's Billy Bragg's title track, a meditation on emigration, Tim O'Brien's "Another Day," or Ger Wolfe's excellent "The Curra Road." She keeps the feel loose throughout, almost like a session, but keeps herself front and center, never letting things stray too much out of focus. Her own singing is as understated as ever, letting less be a little more, giving a wonderful shine to something like "Distant Shore." There's also a very political element to her music, as she illustrates on "The Jute Mill Song" and her version of Ewan MacColl's "The Ballad of Tim Evans," an eloquent argument against the death penalty. Casey has matured, that much is obvious, and she's in the process of becoming a world-class interpreter of songs. ~ Chris Nickson

Former Lead Singer For Solas. Feat.K.Rusby,P.Cuningham,I.Cur

Recorded at Secret Music and Cava Studios, Scotland; Clonmannon Studios, SoundSound Studios, Ireland.

Personnel: Karen Matheson (vocals, background vocals); Malcolm Stitt, Paul Meehan (acoustic guitar, bouzouki); James Grant (acoustic guitar); Robbie Overson (12-string guitar); Dirk Powell (banjo); Mel Mercier (berimbau, shaker); Tim O'Brien (mandolin, background vocals); Dezi Donnelly, Brendan Gleeson (fiddle); Michael McGoldrick (flute, bodhran); Donald Shaw (accordion, piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Niall Vallely (concertina); Ewen Vernal (double bass, electric bass); James MacKintosh (drums, percussion).

Audio Mixers: Donald Shaw; Paul McGeechan.

Recording information: Cava Studios, Scotland; Clonmannon Studios, Ireland; Secret Music, Scotland; Soundsound Studios, Ireland.

Photographer: Colm Henry.

Arrangers: Donald Shaw; Karan Casey; Karen Matheson.

Personnel: Karan Casey (vocals); Malcolm Stitt (acoustic guitar, bouzouki); James Grant, Robbie Overson (acoustic guitar); Dirk Powell (banjo); Paul Meehan (bouzouki); Dezi Donnelly (fiddle); Michael McGoldrick (flute, bodhran); Michael McGoldrick (low whistle); Donald Shaw (accordion, piano, Wurlitzer piano, keyboards); Niall Vallely (concertina); Ewen Vernal (electric bass, double bass); James Mackintosh (drums, percussion); Mel Mercier (shaker, berimbao); Tim O'Brien, Karen Matheson (background vocals).