Customer Reviews

Cold Blow And The Rainy Night

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Founded in 1972, Planxty was the most innovative band on the Irish scene in the '70s, featuring unusual instrumentation (harmonium, hurdy-gurdy and mandolin family instruments alongside the traditional uillean pipes, whistle and bodhran and customary guitar) and striking song settings.

"Cold Blow and the Rainy Night" was the last album Planxty recorded before breaking up in 1975. Donal Lunny had left by this point, but contributes some bouzouki and portative organ as well as handling production chores. His replacement on this disc is the woefully under-appreciated Johnny Moynihan, who introduced the bouzouki to Irish music in 1965 with the landmark group Sweeney's Men. His distinctive nasal vocals well-serve the songs on which he is featured: "P Stands for Paddy" and "The Frost is All Over".

Diversity of tone and timbre was one of Planxty's great achievements, particularly evident in the vocal arrangements. Christy Moore's naturally rich baritone delivers "Cold Blow and the Rainy Night", "The Little Drummer", and "The Lakes of Pontchartrain," while Andy Irvine's thinner tenor works just as well on "Johnnie Cope". The other two Irvine contributions merit more detailed mention: "Baneasa's Green Glade" is an account of his time in Eastern Europe and is appropriately paired with the Bulgarian dance tune, "Mominsko Horo", the beginning of which will cause sundry and all to gape,"Is that really just one mandolin?"; and the cathartic climax of the album, "The Green Fields of Canada", which features a moving uillean pipes solo by Liam Og O'Floinn.

Of the instrumentals which round out the mix, the set of joyous polkas really stands out and will set even the timid a-toe-tapping. In all, an essential recording for any self-respecting fan of Irish music!

This group's music has influences that can be heard throughout the Celtic spectrum. Celt-rock group Wolfstone, though barely from the same field, drew very heavily on this sound, as did Altan, though their sound is remarkably different for a fellow Irish band. This is where to go to find out what your favorite Celtic bands drew their greatest influences from.

I have some two dozen Irish CDs, and this is one of my favorites. The distinctive sound is somewhat less classical than the Chieftains and less folky than the Dubliners, with great melodies and voices. My children like to sing Johnny Cope and P is for Paddy on long car rides.