Customer Reviews

Fiddler's Green

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Playing Time - 47:34 -- Over the years, multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Brien has shown the unusual knack to be equally comfortable with jazz, bluegrass, swing, and Celtic music. The eclectic acoustic musician, originally from West Virginia, is certainly not afraid to walk the line between several genres of music. Thus, he's become one of the purveyors and ambassadors of Americana music. Besides being a fine singer with a definable sound, Tim plays guitar, fiddle, bouzouki, and mandolin on this album.

The title cut is a bounding tale of the sea written by Pete Goble which speaks of a sailor being "lured by the tradewinds" to find that enchanting but mythical utopia with women, music and sustenance. When Tim wants a rousing Celtic feeling ("Land's End/Chasin' Talon), he supplements his own mandolin with the support of guys like Jack Doyle (guitar), Kenny Malone (djembe, cajon), Casey Driessen (fiddle), Dirk Powell (bass), Seamus Egan (low whistle). The bluegrass line-up ("Look Down that Lonesome Road") enlists veteran sidemen like Charlie Cushman (banjo), Jerry Douglas (resophonic guitar), Dan Tyminski (guitar), and Dennis Crouch (bass). What is particularly nice is that Tim's arrangements range from a fiddle/vocal solo ("A Few More Years") or guitar/vocal solo ("Buffalo Skinner") to full ensembles that incorporate dynamics into the genesis of their songs like "Fair Flowers of the Valley" that features Tim singing with his sister, Mollie. Another lean, but very successful, arrangement is the duo "Foreign Lander" (Tim's fiddle/vocals with Edgar Meyer playing arco bass) that presents a ballad of a rambling soldier conquered by his love's beauty.

The last third of the album (4 songs) has a good cross-section of Tim's approach. His original and high-stepping old-timey "Train on the Island" introduces Chris Thile (mandolin) and Stuart Duncan (banjo, fiddle). While the twin fiddling is spectacular, I missed hearing some vocal harmony on the refrain "train on the island, hear that whistle blow." After the lean "A Few More Years," we're treated to perhaps one of the best arrangements ever of an old favorite, "Long Black Veil." Dan Dugmore's pedal steel gives the song its unique eeriness, and the duo is sung with Darrell Scott. Tim closes the project with "Early Morning Rain," from a profound troubadour not too unlike himself, Gordon Lightfoot. The sweet notes of bouzouki, fiddle and mandolin weave their way effortlessly between the words.

O'Brien is a minstrel with great command of his lyrics and melodies. Besides being a songcarrier for traditional music, he's also a songsmith of contemporary songs that could've been written hundereds of years ago. His musical acumen demonstrates keen insight and creativity. With his astute approach of emphasizing diversity, Tim O'Brien offers a set with plenty for everyone. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

I've been 'aware' of Tim O'Brien since I saw Hot Rize on Austin City Limits, some years ago. But what attracted me to THIS particular CD was hearing his take of Gordon Lightfoot's Early Morning Rain.

He got me. First lick of the first song (Pretty Fair Maid in the Garden)pushed me off the fence and solidly into Tim O'Brien fandom.

He says, in the liner notes "This is intimate music, good for a quiet morning or an evening at home. A few solos,a duet, some spare acoustic ensembles. There's a good dose of fiddling, and about half the songs are traditional. Traditional music sometimes seems mysterious, but it's always familiar."

That's it. I know more than one song on the CD, but somehow he makes even the ones I don't know feel like re-introductions to old friends.

Congrats for the Grammy nomination, Tim. It should have happened a long time ago.

Tim O'Brien was born in heart of bluegrass music country, in Wheeling West Virginia, in 1954. And in 1970, he moved to Colorado and moved into professional music. The rest, as they say, is history. He's a master of the guitar, the fiddle, the mandolin, and other instruments, and he produces some of the greatest bluegrass music made today.

This album is another in a long list of Tim O'Brien's works of art, and it is just as good as his others. The songs are a fine selection of Appalachian and Scots-Irish tunes, carrying the listener back and forth across space and time. I loved Pretty Fair Maid In The Garden and Foreign Lander, and really loved the musical numbers Land's End/Chasin' Talon and First Snow.

Overall, I found this to be a great album, and have listened to it over and over again. If you like the sound of great bluegrass music, then you will like this CD - I sure know I did! I give this CD my highest recommendations.

Prime Cuts: Look Down that Lonesome Road, Early Morning Rain, Fair Flowers of the Valley

Years ago O'Brien had a hit with Kathy Mattea and it caused enough commotion to garner the attention of RCA Records. Nevertheless, RCA could not commercialize O'Brien and deeming the CD O'Brien turned in as not radio-friendly. Subsequently, with the album shelved, O'Brien was dropped from the label. In hindsight, that decision proved to be fortuitous as the years of wondering in the wilderness has molded O'Brien to become one of the best avant-garde bluegrass stalwart. His ensuing CDs have proven that O'Brien has had the skills in crafting songs that harkened back to the venerable traditions of old yet masking a perspicuous breadth of insights that defiles time and genres. Further, O'Brien's skill as a scribe has also been taken noticed, most prominently by the Dixie Chicks when they cut his co-composition "More Love" on their hit-studded "Home" record.

Nevertheless, for fans of O'Brien, 2005 is non peril: for O'Brien has decided to release not one, but two records under his own Howdy Skies imprint. Both of which are concept albums with their own distinctives. "Fiddler's Green," an acoustic based bluegrass album with an Appalachian/Irish accent, finds these 12 paeans revolving around the theme of a mythological utopian known among Irish sailors as "Fiddler's Green." Hence, these songs are stories revolving around the lives of sailors who dreamt, traveled and live for such an arcadia. And since most of these songs were written long ago, they sometimes draw upon language, rhymes and meter patterns that can be quite foreign to the unacquainted. However, like good wine the appreciation of this record is an acquired taste. It takes a few listens to be drawn into the songs' compelling narratives, and solely because of this, this can be a drawback for the uninitiated.

Among the highlights is "Fair Flowers of the Valley," which tells an eerie tale of murder and romance between a convict and three ladies underscored with great dramatic effect by O'Brien's guitar, John Doyle's bouzouki and Mollie O'Brien's haunting harmonies. On the traditional "Foreign Lander," O'Brien succinctly captures the angst of a sailor whose love for the sea makes him willing to sacrifice everything, even the lady of his life. With a crispness of spring in the air, the beautifully romantic "Pretty Fair Maid in the Garden" finds O'Brien telling the story of a courtship with a tilt in his gleeful tenor. "First Snow" is the first of two instrumentals and with its simplicity of its melody and O'Brien's virulent fiddling, this is first class stuff. Taking a minimalist approach, most of these songs are only backed up the simplest instruments all of which are unelectrical. Most of the time this works, putting the emphasis on O'Brien's vocals; this is particularly true of the road wearisome "Look Down that Lonesome Road" and a bluegrassy take of the relatively more modern Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain." However, on certain tracks such as "Foreign Lander" and "Buffalo Skinners" the playing tends to be too loud creating a dirge-like quality to the songs.

Whether or not one shares the same ideology as that presented in "Fiddler's Green," there is a sense of innocence, beauty and romance that these songs present affixing a ring of thought to our perception of life, travel, eternity and love. And there's something in O'Brien's emotive nuances that draws the listener in, into the intricate lives of his characters and he won't let go until we too have vicariously walked in their shoes. These are stories that ought to sail in our consciences for years to come and "Fiddler's Green" is the ticket to ride.

Tim O'brien is in a class all by himself. He is a phenomenal multi-instrumentalist who plays with authority, taste, and precision. His arrangements are always tailored to the essence of each song. He can pen a tune for solo fiddle and voice that will leave you with a tear in your eye or he can pen one for a cast of excellent backing players that will have you smiling and tapping your toes. All of the above is true but doesn't prepare the uninitiated for the single most compelling fact about Tim O'brien....his voice. I've never heard a voice that can impart so much emotion in such a subtle and pleasing way. There is a mournful, soul filled quality that has you thinking he's singing to you alone. It is alluring and enduring...each song telling a story that we all seem to know and feel. This guy is SPECIAL.
It's a great recording from a truly great singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist. Long may he endure!

This grammy award winning album is a must for any O'Brien fan or anyone interested in bluegrass or newgrass type music. From his days in Hot Rize until today O'Brien continues to be the quintessencal performer. He is the whole package- song writer, singer and musician extraordinare!

bought this cd because of one song i heard on the radio the rest of the cd didnt hold the same feel but it is a great cd the songs get better the more you listen to them. you hear something new everytime you listen to it. buy it you wont be sorry

After listening to a number of cuts from various CDs, I settled on this as my first Tim O'Brien purchase. It is both uptempo and delightful with some more contemplative tracks of which I never tire. I can hear Pretty Fair Maid in my mind as I write this. Look Down That Lonesome Road is grassroots bluegrass that will have you toe-tappin in no time.

O'Brien is an old bluegrass hand and consummate song-writer. I really like his more uptempo stuff as opposed to his more introspective gospel type songs but that's just me.

Am looking forward to finding more of his grassroots stuff!

This album was released around the same time as Cornbread Nation, another one of Tim's masterpieces. This one really has a bluegrassy/Irish/Celtic flavor that is timeless. A must-have.

If you like traditional and bluegrass music with tight harmonies and innovative use of instruments, you'll love this album. This is not simply roots music, but roots music at its finest, showing theinfluence of layers of cultures and music styles, but well-incorporated with the Anglo-American musical tradition that forms the substrate from which these songs and pieces derive. The greatest gems here are "Foreign Lander," a duet of voice and bass with amazing, heart-rending and shivery harmonies; "A Few More Years," a violin-voice solo with all of the above characteristics; and the title cut, Fiddler's Green," a modern ballad written in the traditional style, with musical borrowings from sea chanteys and gospel. Nice versions of several traditional ballads, e.g. "Fair Flowers of the Valley" (Child's "Babylon") and "Pretty Fair Maid" (Child's "John Riley"). I bought this CD several months ago and it's still in my top-5 playlist.