Stories from the Steeples

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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Thom Jurek
Despite its title and front cover art, Stories from the Steeples, Mary Black's first recording in six years, is not a collection of hymns. It is titled for the Dublin studio where it was recorded. These 12 new selections are, in typical Black form, an impeccable mix of traditional-sounding and contemporary material. There is an enormous list of contributing players on these sessions, but the constants are guitarist Bill Shanley, keyboardist and accordionist Pat Crowley, double bassist Nick Scott, and fiddler Matt McGranahan. The album's opening cut, "Marguerite and the Gambler," written by Ricky Lynch, is certainly informed by the spirit of Bob Dylan's "Lily, Rosemary and ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Thom Jurek
Despite its title and front cover art, Stories from the Steeples, Mary Black's first recording in six years, is not a collection of hymns. It is titled for the Dublin studio where it was recorded. These 12 new selections are, in typical Black form, an impeccable mix of traditional-sounding and contemporary material. There is an enormous list of contributing players on these sessions, but the constants are guitarist Bill Shanley, keyboardist and accordionist Pat Crowley, double bassist Nick Scott, and fiddler Matt McGranahan. The album's opening cut, "Marguerite and the Gambler," written by Ricky Lynch, is certainly informed by the spirit of Bob Dylan's "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" (though Dylan's song was certainly informed by outlaw tales of the American South that came from centuries-old Celtic balladry in the first place, so there you go). It contains a stellar arrangement that highlights piano, mandolin, and McGranahan's lonesome fiddle. Three duets are strategically placed in this set. 'Walking with My Love,' an easy shuffler, is sung with countryman and Irish music legend Finbar Furey, who also plays banjo on it. "Lighthouse Light" sounds like it could have come from Ireland in the early 1960s (and maybe its melody originally did), but it was actually written by the Boston-based Irish songwriter Ry Cavanaugh; it features Black singing with the incomparable Janis Ian. The real surprise though, is the album's first single, "Mountains to the Sea," written by Australians Shane Howard and Neil Murray. Walking the line between Celtic, contemporary folk, and pop, Black is joined by countrywoman and chart-topping rock & roll singer Imelda May. Each woman does what she does best -- May doesn't rein herself in, Black doesn't try to rock it up. Their voices, phrasing, and timbres complement one another beautifully, weaving together seamlessly on the refrain. Another highlight is Black's reading of Eric Bogle's antiwar ballad "All the Fine Young Men." There are three songs here written by the Coronas' Danny Reilly -- who also happens to be Black's son. The best of the three -- though none of them are duds -- is the sparse, skeletal ballad "Faith in Fate." Her other children, Roisín and Conor, appear with Danny on his "The Night Is on Our Side." Stories from the Steeples is a welcome return for one of contemporary folk music's finest voices and most original stylists; it is also a stand-out album in Black's solo catalog.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 2/14/2012
  • Label: Blix Street
  • UPC: 739341010026
  • Catalog Number: 10100
  • Sales rank: 35,308

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Marguerite and the Gambler (4:27)
  2. 2 The Night Was Dark and Deep (3:53)
  3. 3 Mountains To the Sea - Imelda May (4:55)
  4. 4 Faith In Fate (4:21)
  5. 5 Steady Breathing (3:45)
  6. 6 Walking With My Love - Finbar Furey (3:33)
  7. 7 All the Fine Young Men (4:13)
  8. 8 The Night is On Our Side - Roisin O (3:47)
  9. 9 Lighthouse Light - Janis Ian (4:00)
  10. 10 Wizard of Oz (4:21)
  11. 11 One True Place (5:36)
  12. 12 Fifi the Flea (2:40)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Mary Black Primary Artist, Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals
Janis Ian Guitar, Vocals
Liam Bradley Drums, Background Vocals
Richie Buckley Saxophone
Pat Crowley Piano, Accordion, Keyboards, Hammond Organ, Background Vocals
Martin Ditcham Percussion, Cymbals, Drums
Finbar Furey Banjo, Vocals
Andrew Holdsworth Piano, Keyboards
Joe O'Reilly Background Vocals
Nicky Scott Background Vocals, Double Bass
Bill Shanley Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Guitar, Mandolin, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Ukulele, Background Vocals, Lap Steel Guitar
Nick Scott Background Vocals, Guitarron, Double Bass
Richard George Violin
Danny O'Reilly Acoustic Guitar
Imelda May Vocals
Sophie Ryan Violin
Conor O'Reilly Bass Guitar, Background Vocals
The Henry Girls Background Vocals
Roisin O Vocals, Background Vocals
Matt McGranahan Fiddle
Tony Woolard Cello
Technical Credits
Mary Black Producer
Paul Kelly Composer
Pat Crowley Producer
Andrew Holdsworth String Arrangements
Shane Howard Composer
Neil Murray Composer
Dermot O'Connor Art Direction
Michael Manning Engineer
Julie Matthews Composer
Chris While Composer
Ciaran Byrne Engineer
Billy Robinson Producer, Engineer
Bill Shanley Producer
Ry Cavanaugh Composer
Bogle Composer
Danny O'Reilly Composer
Imelda May Duet
Deirdre Keohane Illustration Concept
Ricky Lynch Composer
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