Customer Reviews

Elvis Murphy's Green Suede Shoes

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

 

 

With "Elvis Murphy" serving as companion to Larry Kirwan's 400 page "Green Suede Shoes" memoir, we are once again treated to new music from one of the world's great musical treasures: Black 47. For first time Black 47 listeners, who maybe arrived at this CD via the companion book, my only wish is that this leads them further to that fountainhead of music which is the entire 15 year of work of Black 47. There are anthems throughout their many records, and with this new record, "The Day They Set Jim Larkin Free" joins the likes of James Connolly and Bobby Sands MP as a Black 47 anthem. Larry Kirwan's songwriting shares memories with the listener of earlier times in Ireland with a New York club scene feel. The music is political, serious, humorous, passionate, personal and addictive; in short, it is more Black 47.

Downtown baghdad bluse is a song that says the wars is screwed up but they are behind the troops. This band takes time to get used to. They are so awesome live if you get the chance to see them. The band is a lot like guiness you either like them or don't. So if you want to try something new give them a shot. I am looking forward to seeing them again.

I'm not a huge fan of re-issueing of old songs,
in most bands it makes me suspicious that perhaps the creative spark is gone.
Not so with Black47, I see enough of them live that I know for a fact the spark is burning brightly still.
I understand this disk was released in conjunction with Larry Kirwan's excellent book and some who have never heard the bands music need something that sums up thier years of music all in one place.
Maybe I'm just a glutton for thier music but the only possible fault (if you can call it that) I find with this album is that not all of the songs are new.
Not really that big of an issue tho,
Downtown Baghdad Blues is a good enough song to carry the whole album for me, and if the perfectly spectacular
Kilroy was Here, hooks new fans to the back catalog of Black47 music, that's enough to make it a 5 star album for me.
Good stuff for both old time fans and beginers as well.

I haven't read Kirwan's book so I can't review this as a soundtrack, but there are number of good cuts here.
"The History of Ireland Part I" is as succinct an effort to make sense of Ireland's troubled past as anything I've read or heard.
"The Bells of Hell" about Malachy McCourt's old watering hole is a fun journey into the past and a scene that makes me wish I was there.
"Uncle Jim" and his peace mission to the North is a classic. It's funny and poignant at the same time. A tough accomplishment.
These are the ones stand out for me, but the rest has value as well. Black 47 is a band that challenges and entertains. Not many can make that claim.

Black 47 has such a unique sound that it takes a while to accustom yourself to it and if you've been off listening to other things and you come back to Black 47 you've got to give yourself time to re-accustom. At first, I wasn't overly blown away by this new album. But upon more and more listens, the songs are starting to take shape and the melodies are coming though. After five or so listens, I think I'm gonna place this one over New York Town which was a very good album marred by some reenditions of old songs that,while the idea was good, the execution just didn't come off well. There are some reenditions of three Larry Kirwan solo songs but without the extra vocalists they come off much better. Black 47's music is so wordy that I think whenever anyone but Larry (and Chris Byrne in the past) tries to sing it, it can get a bit messy. An exception to this is Roseanne Cash's great work on 'Fiona's Song' off of New York Town. Anyhow, there is less extra vocals on Elvis Murphy's GSS and more guitar, more pounding drums. The band has turned up the energy a bit and the results are more of a Black 47 of old. All of the band sounds like they are having fun and it shows. The result: a very good album from a great band! With more listens, this might get to classic status.

Black 47 is a great band and this cd is another in a long line of excellent cd's from them

Truly a great album, but the recording of the songs are por in some sections of the album. i.e. in Life Like That, Isn't It, the back-up vocals completely drown out the leads. In several other songs, the leads are drowned out by bass instruments. Other than that, the music is very good. I'm looking forward to up-coming music from Black 47

Since the day I got it I have had this CD on in my car.As with all of Black 47's CD's ,there are songs that are humourous,"Girl Next Door",historical,"The Day They Set Jim Larkin Free" and political,"Downtown Baghdad Blues". "Downtown Baghdad Blues" is the anti war song for the '00's,it is destined to become a classic along the lines of "I Ain't Marching Anymore".Another great effort from Black 47.

Ok I'm not real sure what I expected when I ordered this CD but what I got was something that I had a hard time listening to. The band muscially has wonderful arrangements. Good use of Sax and horns and strong guitars. out of all the songs on the CD the only one I could get through and say was ok was Uncle Jim. Sort of a reel feel to it. Downtown Baghdad Blues has good lyrics. My problem with the entire CD is the lead singer. I Personally think he tries to over sing the songs. Sounds to me like he is in pain. This is just my personal opinion. Others really enjoy this Cd. I didn't.

I liked some of the songs such as Kilroy Was Here, and Life's Like That, Isn't It, but I think the rest sounded like the rocky horror picture show in vocals, and the lyrics in the other songs sound whiny.The background music was not so bad, but his voice is unmelodic with the music which unbalances the harmony and potential of the song.