Customer Reviews

Music at Matt Molloy's

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Live and alive, this is an excellently done CD with superb sound/recording quality, catching the musicians in their joy at what they love to do and do well. Fiddler Cora Smyth has gone on since this recording to become one of the two main fiddlers in the production Lord of the Dance. Matt is excellent, as always, on his flute, with his friends backing him. Some of his friends have the spotlight. The rendition of "Kilkelly" is not to be missed. It is emotionally well-done and moving. You can hear the pub conversation as a back-drop, with the clinking of glasses and the warmth of laughter. You hear the musicians and patrons enjoying eachother's company. It is LIVE, it is Ireland, it is what the Irish traditional session is all about, and I wish more recordings like this one were made available. It's the next best thing to actually being there! If you love Irish traditional music, and Matt Molloy's style, this CD will NOT disappoint you. It is worth buying. It lives in my CD player.

If you can't make it to Westport, County Mayo, to spend an evening at Matt Molloy's pub, this is the next best thing. A thoroughly high-caliber group of musicians contributed to this album in a variety of styles, from traditional unaccompanied "sean-nos" singing to "everyone on board" instrumentals. The recordings are live and unedited (amazingly enough, given the quality of the performances), and the pub atmosphere is imparted by background conversations, clinking bottles, and even a broken glass. Part of the flavor of traditional Irish music is the interaction between the musicians, the tunes, and the audience, and this recording conveys that better than anything else I've ever heard. I could have done without the Westport step-dancers thumping their way through the final track, but Iarla o Lionard's solo is a knockout. Almost as much fun as being there -- and your clothes don't reek of the smoke afterwards.

This is a wonderful collection of traditional tunes and songs recorded live in Matt Molloy's pub. I know that some find the background noise and occasional stomping distracting, but I love the authenticity of it and it takes nothing away from the music in my opinion. There are a lot of standard session tunes, played with plenty of feeling. I've never heard a more inspiring version of Miss Monaghan or Queen of the May than on this recording. There are also some more obscure but excellent tunes such as the "set of jigs learned from Kevin's father." I highly recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates genuine traditional Irish music...you will not be disappointed.

The album does a fantastic job of capturing the sound of a pub session, which is the natural habitat of the music. Many other traditional music CD's sound sterile, as if they're classical pieces.

We enjoyed this CD so much we built a our vacation around the pub in Westport where it was recorded. The combination of the great musicianship, the atmosphere (created by the background sounds) and the voices rich in character all make for a 'grand time'. Every time we listen to it we are returned to those special nights.

This is a great, perfect album. I love the background noise and shuffle of the pub. Like others say, you can hear the tinkling of glasses and conversation, but really only between songs. It has lively fun as well as dreamy melancholy and beautiful songs. You can hear the band and the audience stomping out the rhythm and yelling out encouragement or singling along with the songs. There are also some great solo singing moments. I love how it's a session recorded straight through, it really makes you feel like you're there. This is the best Irish music album I own, and is in my top albums that I'll always listen to. If you like traditional Irish music you won't be disappointed, in fact you need this.

Absolutely excellent!!! Astounding!!! I enjoyed this CD so much. It's practically been living in my cd player for the past month. Kilkenny (Track 12) was excellent. It was beautiful and sad. I recommend this cd to anyone who loves irish music. You haven't heard anything until you've heard this!

If you're looking for music with the "smell of the turf", music from Irishman who play in the pub as their granda' did, you're in the right place. Complete with some of the bar sounds, some of the talk and craick between the songs, and a bunch of musicians who are playing purely because they love it. According to the well-written liner notes, Molloy set this up in his pub deliberately trying to interfere with the players, and the Music, as little as possible.

One warning; if you're listening to this CD in the office, you'll probably have to do it without the pint of Guinness that would otherwise be a perfect accompaniment.

This album is such a great peak into the traditional music the way it was meant to be played. It made me a bit sad to hear so much chatter and noise on the solo singers tracks; if you ever go to a session I should hope you'll have more respect for a singer than that. Other than that the ambiance of the pub chatter and clanking pint glasses added to the feel of the tunes being played in their natural environment. The sound was fantastic and the players were superb. The collection of tunes was a good sampling of what you'd actually hear at many sessions and the switch from group performances to solo pieces kept it interesting and entertaining to listen to. If this album doesn't inspire you to play, dance or at least tap your toe then nothing will! Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers,
Johnny

I was lucky enough to stumble upon Matt Molloy's Bar in Westport by accident, and had a fantastic night drinking good Guinness whilst listening to the traditional music session. I have been back several times since and it has never disappointed. This album is a perfect reproduction of the atmosphere of live Irish traditional music played in an old fashioned bar. Every time I play this the memories come flooding back, you can hear some background murmuring and laughter - close your eyes and you would nearly think you are in the crowd. Check out Kilkelly and the Parting of Friends (the latter a a beautiful piece of flute playing by Matt Malloy). If you want a taste of Irish traditional as it really sounds and can't make it to the real thing, I recommend you buy this CD.