Customer Reviews

Collection

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a nice 2-CD collection of early work by this Irish brother duet, who later formed the nucleus of the Fureys family band. This set draws from two albums originally on the Transatlantic label, their self-titled debut from 1968, and 1969's "The Lonesome Boatman," as well as some material from an album of solo piping music by Finbar Furey. The music is a bit stark, heavy on the uillean pipes, and a bit light on the vocals (though when Eddie Finbar sings, it's quite nice). An excellent example of the emerging Irish folk revival of the 1960s. Didn't entirely wow me, but it's definitely worth checking out.

Back in 1967 I started to go to O'Donaghue's pub on Merrion Row in Dublin, a magical for anyone into the revival of Irish music. I kept hearing about Eddie and Finbar who were now in England making their name. Before I got to meet them their first album was released and I was enthralled as were my mother and sister and we wore it out within weeks. The combination of Finbar on pipes and whistle and Eddie's voice was unlike anything heard before. Over the course of forty years stuff gets lost and the albums represented on this set were among the missing. When I found this collection I was a bit nervous. Would it be as good as my memory of the music? I need not have feared. What is good is good and what is bad is bad and that does not change. To my mind, this album is the best they did. The instrumentals are "the pure drop" by a master and the song selection, with a couple of exceptions, is terrific. One last note. The price of the collection would be worth it just for Roy's Hands. Why this tune has not become a staple I cannot understand.