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Clancy family triumphs!

Sally Burnell | Kent, Ohio USA | 08/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album, by Liam Clancy, youngest of the famed Clancy Brothers, Robbie O'Connell, Liam's nephew, and Donal Clancy, Liam's son and Robbie's cousin, showcases the multitudinous talents of the Clancy family. Robbie's voice, as smooth and silken as a good glass of Irish Cream, caresses several slow numbers on this album, and Liam and Donal, talented multi-instrumentalists, demonstrate not only these talents but their ability to sing good rousing Irish songs and breathe life into them. There is a nice combination of vocal and instrumental pieces, and Donal shows his amazing guitar virtuosity in several numbers, a lovely combination of pieces called Morning Mist and Haughton House, and a simply gorgeous work by the Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan called "Loftus Jones". His delicate fingering sounds almost harp-like and is quite astonishing for someone of his tender years. There are several heartbreakingly beautiful vocal pieces on this album, one that never fails to reduce me to tears, called "For Real" by songwriter Bob Franke. The first time that I heard Liam, Robbie and Donal perform this piece was live at a local pub and in the words of the writer Frank McCourt, found I had a "bladder near my eye". I cried relentlessly during the entire piece - it's just that gorgeous. The final vocal piece, sung by Robbie in his soft, breathy tenor, is an adaptation of the traditional Irish song "The Parting Glass" by Bob Dylan, who encountered the Clancy's in New York back in the 60's and upon hearing them sing this song, wrote his lovely "Restless Farewell". This album has it all - lovely, slow sad pieces, rousing pub songs, sea chanties and instrumental pieces showing the diverse talents of the Clancy family. Is it any wonder that they've been so beloved in this country for nearly 40 years now? Even with the younger generation like cousins Robbie and Donal coming to the forefront in their own rights as musicians, it's no surprise that this family has so shaped Irish music in America for so many decades now. May they continue to do so for many more years!"