Search - Casey Neill :: Memory Against Forgetting

Stellar Set, Folk Fun Fest

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Casey Neill's drawn on his decade-long recording career to bring us this stellar set. With the energy of Eric Andersen and traditional folk finesse of Joan Baez, "Memory Against Forgetting" is Neill's most consistent set yet. The title track is one of the best openers you'll ever hear with a driving electric lead, great lyric and Casey's wry vocals. "Kitty," a traditional English ballad, is polished to perfection with Hanz Arakl joining on harmony vocals and flute. "Sisters of the Road" is another meaty ballad with Casey's plaintive vocals about homeless kids in Portland. Neill's cynicism is hilarious in the liner notes as on "Moly," "a song about molybdenum mining, sure to rocket to the top of the charts based on its topic alone." Or on "Kitty," he describes it as "Something about sheep. Don't ask." "Riffraff" is a traditional rave-up about guys who love beer, anarchy and don't wear underwear. "Paddy's Lament" is a melancholy Irish ballad with Neill's expressive vocals totally getting under the skin of the melody. "Angola" is another tremendously moving prison ballad about a man who uses a false arrest and conviction as a cause to campaign for reform of human rights abuses. Neill's vocals turn sweet on "Radio Montana." This set is exquisite because Neill touches so many diverse moods and emotions from tenderness & longing to anger & spite. It's an impressive range. This is folk music, but one of the liveliest most touching sets in a great while. Don't miss it! Bravo!

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Punk rock folk music at it's finest!

wildflowerboy | planet earth | 12/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Covering topics ranging from the Seattle protests against the WTO to homelessness, the prison industrial complex, mining and the plight of fisherfolk put out of work because of drag trawlers, this is an excellent selection of songs by the contemporary topical folk singer, Casey Neill. Incorporating elements of Celtic folk and punk rock, Casey Neill (along with the likes of David Rovics, Ryan Harvey, Evan Greer, Anne Feeney, Jim Page, Ethan Miller and Kate Boverman) is helping to revitalize the proud tradition of North American radical folk music! There is however one song I think should have been included: his anticapitalist classic, "Dancing On The Ruins". Nevertheless, this is a really good cd. Rock on!!!"