Customer Reviews

Seize the Day

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

Damien has one of the rawest voices I have heard and John Reynolds (producer) has held back beautifully from the temptation to perhaps over produce or polish him. Damien sings with the same gusto ..and same flaws (!) that any man in a Dublin pub would, and indeed the Irish diaspora will recognise the traditonal Irish, balladic style of singing from any family gathering. But the difference is the songs themselves and the throroughly modern and schizophrenic take on the Irish experience. He celebrates ireland's past in a mix of rousingly romantic (the Gaels) and at the same time damning (Industrial Schools)way..with a few touches of sarcastically placed

" Tooraloorali's". Musically, his style sways from reggae (Negative Vibes) to acoustic Irish and at times is a little less than par, with some naive arrangements (the Jar Song). But it is vocally where the album has all its strengths, not just because it is impossible to ignore by force alone or strong Dublin dialect but by the unique way he punctuates phrases and adds a street ruggedness to words. Damien is DEFINATELY one to watch in the future! A great album - flawed - but soooo worth hearing!

Damien Dempsey's sound is a mix of grittiness and traditional Irish ballad and I recommend this CD to anyone ready to move outside the purely traditional. The music is raw and heartwrenching and his voice is strong and perfect for the subject matter, most of which seems to compare and contrast Irish history with modern Ireland, modern Dublin to be specific. The music is contemporary yet uniquely Irish.

I have only discovered Damien Dempsey a month ago, and now I can't stop playing this or his other three CDs. He works in the same neigborhood as Francis Dunnery and Luka Bloom, with some connections to Citizen Cope, but he is utterly original and talented.

I was very excited to buy this album. It didn't really let me down, it just didn't overwhelm me. The album starts out with the best track on it. "Negative Vibe" is a musical vision realized. It blends the past with the future. He captures you with his voice and his lyrics. The rest of the album is good, but not great. It is worth buying and I'm sure you will also see the potential that lies with him. He has something special and unique. I can't wait to see what he does with it.

The first time I listened to Sinéad O'Connor's "Black Boys on Mopeds", I remember thinking that I would never listen to another song that would move me so much. However, a few months ago I listened to Damien Dempsey's "Celtic Tiger" and now I wonder if I'll ever get to listen to another song as good as these two.

I first saw Damien Dempsey as a warm-up act for The Swell Season. I was impressed with how much heart he put into his songs and how he just belted them out. I had not heard of him before and started buying one CD and then another. Pretty soon, I found myself singing along with every song. If you like his music, you will like this one too.

I have 3 of his CDs now - and I have yet to be disappointed - so if you like anything he does, this is a GREAT old school version of his newer music.