Customer Reviews

Flirting With the Edge

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

 

 

John Whelan's latest cd is another great addition to his others. The music is energetic, moving, haunting, all at the same time. John Whelan is a superb musician and I eagerly await for more recordings by him. Flirting with the Edge is a good name for the CD. John Whelan takes Celtic music ands delivers it with <POW!> I really like this CD.

It really kills me to give this CD less than 5 stars, but it is just missing that one standout track that i would expect from John Whelan. Whelan himself personally recommended this CD to me last year after one of his performances when I was telling him that I want a recording of him going musically insane. Well, don't get me wrong. This recording is absolutely incredible, but there is something missing. Maybe this CD could have benefitted from a live track like so many other recordings have. Anyway, now that I have gotten my sole complaint out of the way, i can talk about all the good stuff.

Whelan flirts with the edge in that he challenges the limit and pushes the boundaries. He gets help from many incredible musicians, including Bernadette Peters, Pat Kilbride, Connie Dover, and Oscar Lopez just to name a few. Also helping out is the John Whelan Band, which includes Robin Bullock, one of the most magnificent guitar players you will ever hear (i encourage you to check out his 3 solo efforts as well), and Liz Knowles, a truly awesome fiddler.

As far as the actual tracks go, the ones that stand out in my mind are "Dublin Lady," sung by Peters, and "Red is the Rose," sung by Dover. It surprises me that even after listening to this CD for hours on end, the tracks that I remember most are the ballads. Usually, I skip the ballads and get to the good stuff (the reels), and at times, I still do, but unfortunately, the reels and jigs lack some of the punch that i was expecting. Whelan claims that this is essentially a live album because of the enthusiasm that it packs, but I almost wish he would have pushed the boundaries a little more. I want a track where he just takes that accordian and goes insane to the point where he is about to pass out from sheer exhaustion, but you dont get that. He goes crazy at times, but not to the point that he does in concert. Anyway, back to the ballads, you will be captivated. I don't know how to describe the experience, but the pieces are just sung so beautifully by such powerful, yet very traditional voices.

Ok, so in summary. This CD is awesome. It is certainly full of energy, and is packed full of talent that can keep you happy for life. This is Whelan's most energetic album yet, so if you want an album packed with enthusiasm, buy it. However, if you want insane accordian playing, wait until he releases a live album (which i'm hoping he will do). Again, it pains me to give any celtic album (I have about 50 irish CDs), especially this one, less than 5 stars, but I have to be honest with myself and everybody else. It could be a little bit better.

I've heard John Whelan's music before and liked it very much.....this CD kind of disappoints you......too many songs sound the same....there is no variety in his style this time....or change up of the rhythms he uses....

John Whelan and his fellow musicians have achieved a beautiful collaboration on this recording. This is music that feels and sounds unconstrained by, yet rooted firmly in, tradition. The diverse musical cultures and instruments represented here (Irish button accordion, Flamenco guitar, African djembe and thumb piano) synergize to create a captivating listening experience that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional Irish music, while remaining true to its heart. Across the shifting moods and tempos of these tunes, Whelan and his friends sound as if they are inspired to be playing this music, putting a lot of heart- not just serious chops -into it. An all-around excellent set, for sure.