Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

New Sharon Shannon Album A Bit Bland?

Options
  • 24-04-2012 10:20am
    #1
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭


    Maybe its just me but has anybody else found the new Sharon Shannon album Magic Circus to be, well, just a little bit bland? Maybe its the RTE Concert Orchestra accompanying her that causes this but certainly it seemed to me to lack the spirit, the fire , the excitement of some of her previous work. Anybody else have any views on this?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    squonk
    Registered Users Posts: 9,269 ✭✭✭squonk


    I haven't heard the album yet myself but I did see her on the Late Late or something similar lately. After she finished we all expressed the opinion that it was grand but wasn't really up to what she was capable of. I think you're right in that respect OP. Perhaps it's the orchestra that kill it really. Trad in my opinion is supposed to be spontaneous and the enthusiasm of the musician comes across in the music. No offence to the orchestra but perhaps it's just a job for a good few of them and not something they're particularly passionate about.

    By comparison I went to see the Kilfenora Ceili Band the other night. Sharon's brother, Gary, plays with them. What was interesting was that they started a few tunes as a quartet between three of the girls and another on a cello/double bass. It really sounded gorgeous and magical and after a minute the rest of the band joined in. I think myself because I'm used to listening to groups like the Kilfenora who, my god, put their heart into it, that an orchestra will never quite measure up for me.

    I'm not sure who this new Sharon Shannon album is aimed at. She's a great lady for experimenting so fair play to her and experiments don't always pay off but I wonder will the classical/easy listening crowd be more interested in this because it sounds like real trad fans aren't too bothered.


  • Options
    #3
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Ernest


    In truth I only sampled all the tracks on iTunes - I was fully expecting to buy a copy by downloading there but decided against - at this stage anyway.

    The album kind of reminds me of the earlier days of the Eurovision Song Contest when the singer representing Ireland was always accompanied by the RTE Concert Orchestra instead of by a normal pop group with guitars, etc.


Advertisement