Seize the Day

Damien Dempsey | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 5, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B0002WZT3E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,129 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

What do U2, Sin‚ad O'Connor & Shane MacGowan have in common? Besides being Irish, they've all praised the work of Damien Dempsey. With the recent UK & Irish release of Seize The Day, his second album, this Dublin-born artist reached Platinum status & gained many new fans with his brutally honest & very unique music - music that manages to combine both tradition & innovation. Seize The Day features contributions from Sin‚ad O'Connor & Brian Eno which only add to the unique musical mix, a mix which takes modern Irish folk & adds reggae rhythms & dub bass lines. Another noteworthy fan, Morrissey, put Damien on the bill of his recent Meltdown Festival in London. Seize The Day is also the first album release (apart from Morrissey) on Morrissey's Attack Records imprint.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Voice, Wonderful Record, October 21, 2004

By 

Leif Sheppard (United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seize the Day (Audio CD)

My first introduction to Damien was at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where he opened for Morrissey playing a few songs. I was struck by how genuine he is, and how pretty his voice flows along with the acoustic guitar he's so adept with. Witty, personable, and quite intelligent - I knew the moment I heard "Negative Vibes" I simply had to check out his record.

I wasn't disappointed in the least. The album is a truly sublime piece of work! It's the sort of music you play late at night, surrounded by your own musings and someone you love. It's the sort of music Damien must've been born to create. I hope to hear a great deal more from this man.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Out of the Irish Jungle, June 4, 2005

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Seize the Day (Audio CD)

Producer John Reynolds who has worked with Sinead O'Connor does an excellent job putting a good sonic face on the sophomore effort of Dempsey's 3 CDs. "Ghosts of Overdoses" is one of the most haunting songs about drug addiction. I'm glad I saw the DVD movie "Veronica Guerin" to understand the extent of the Irish drug problem. When Dempsey sings, "There was dust, and there was liquid you could buy for just a few quid & escape out of the jungle to return & crawl & stumble." While not particularly pleasant, it is a fearless address to this sad problem. Dempsey's voice is employed like an Irish keening for the dead, a musical instrument among the strings on "It's All Good" that builds slowly to the chorus, "Love yourself today, okay, okay." "Jar Song" is a drinking song that includes references to playwright Brendan Behan & the Pogues' Shane McGowan that has a snaking melody & John Reynolds' creative percussion, "Take me out on the Jar today; We'll drink stout & we'll be okay; We might get our holes tonight; We'll get in a fight alright." "Celtic Tiger" is an interesting Irish rap song with Sinead O'Connor's airy vocals painting the chorus. My favorite track is the opener "Negative Vibes" with Dempsey's stunning first line, "Lord, won't you give me the strength to be strong & be true." The set closes with the title track and is a pretty acoustically strummed folk melody. While not everything works equally well on the disc, the high points here warrant repeated listening. Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Attack Records is off to a flying start!, October 20, 2004

By 

Kent J. Nicholas "EarlGraphite" (Brunswick Hills, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Seize the Day (Audio CD)

Damien Dempsey has one of the most beautiful and sincere voices I've heard in a long time. When he croons "Hey little baby, wanna take you away from here..." you just want to pack up your bags and run away with him! Every song on this cd is amazing. Heartfelt, emotional, majestic - it doesn't take long before the magic of this cd takes hold of you. Add Sinead O'Connor's ghostly backing vocals that float in effortlessly throughout and you have yourself the perfect musical experience.