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Editorial Reviews
Mary is back at her best with her much anticipated first studio album in 6 years!
Stories from The Steeples' features the hit singles in Ireland Walkin with my Love (with Finbar Furey) and Marguerite and the Gambler. The album also features collaborations with Imelda May ( Mountains To The Sea ) and Janis Ian ( Lighthouse Light ).
Stories from The Steeples' features the hit singles in Ireland Walkin with my Love (with Finbar Furey) and Marguerite and the Gambler. The album also features collaborations with Imelda May ( Mountains To The Sea ) and Janis Ian ( Lighthouse Light ).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant and beautiful, a voice so pure it is strong and fragile at the same time.
February 17, 2012
Format:Audio CD
Mary Black could have named this album, Stories from the Hall Of Fame. She I join for duets on three tunes by the revered vocal likes of Janis Ian, the Irish legends, Finbar Furey and Imelda May, who has topped the Irish charts more than once.
And the tunes. Ahh, the tunes. The song writers are amongst the best breathing. "Fifi The Flea" by the Hollies, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks and Allan Clarke, Australia's own Paul Kelly. There's three tunes written by the lead singer of the Irish Pop/rock group The Coronas, proving that Danny O'Reilly is more than just a rocker.
And it's fitting that Black receive this kind of support. Mary Black was a star in Ireland in the late `70s as a member of General Humbert, and in the early `80s she went solo. But it wasn't until 1990, after winning the Irish Independent Arts Award For Music, that she crossed the pond. In `89, she cut the multi-Platinum album, No Frontiers. She was gaining audience and critical acclaim throughout the world. With sellout crowds in the U.S., England, Europe, and Japan under her belt, she cut the album The Holy Ground, which was certified Platinum the day it hit the streets.
That success brought the opportunity to not only bring her music to America, but a chance to headline along side legendary performers such as Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter and fellow countryman, Van Morrison.
Mary Black sings traditional and contemporary folk songs. This isn't the "new age" Celtic songs of Enya, nor is it the pop/rock of Sinead O'Connor, though in Ireland she is considered as much of a star female vocalist as either of them.
The songs on Stories From the Steeples are brilliant and beautiful, celebrating love, life, loss and struggle. Black's voice is at once, strong yet fragile. It is so pure that it is easy to see why in the UK it is used to compare the fidelity of other musical offerings. When she sings a song like the anti-war plea, "All The Fine Men' you can feel the sorrow, but also the hope. In the Ricky Lynch penned "Marguerite And The Gambler" you can feel the longing and lust in the doomed love affair. An innocent, beautiful girl is in love with a rogue gambler, and her father tries to save her.
When she sings the Imelda May Irish chart topper, "Mountains To The Sea" she makes it her own. And one of my favorite is the Paul Kelly tune (who we reviewed last summer, here on these pages), "the Night Was Dark And Deep". Black turns this tune into Irish Soul music.
The Dirty Lowdown
And the tunes. Ahh, the tunes. The song writers are amongst the best breathing. "Fifi The Flea" by the Hollies, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks and Allan Clarke, Australia's own Paul Kelly. There's three tunes written by the lead singer of the Irish Pop/rock group The Coronas, proving that Danny O'Reilly is more than just a rocker.
And it's fitting that Black receive this kind of support. Mary Black was a star in Ireland in the late `70s as a member of General Humbert, and in the early `80s she went solo. But it wasn't until 1990, after winning the Irish Independent Arts Award For Music, that she crossed the pond. In `89, she cut the multi-Platinum album, No Frontiers. She was gaining audience and critical acclaim throughout the world. With sellout crowds in the U.S., England, Europe, and Japan under her belt, she cut the album The Holy Ground, which was certified Platinum the day it hit the streets.
That success brought the opportunity to not only bring her music to America, but a chance to headline along side legendary performers such as Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter and fellow countryman, Van Morrison.
Mary Black sings traditional and contemporary folk songs. This isn't the "new age" Celtic songs of Enya, nor is it the pop/rock of Sinead O'Connor, though in Ireland she is considered as much of a star female vocalist as either of them.
The songs on Stories From the Steeples are brilliant and beautiful, celebrating love, life, loss and struggle. Black's voice is at once, strong yet fragile. It is so pure that it is easy to see why in the UK it is used to compare the fidelity of other musical offerings. When she sings a song like the anti-war plea, "All The Fine Men' you can feel the sorrow, but also the hope. In the Ricky Lynch penned "Marguerite And The Gambler" you can feel the longing and lust in the doomed love affair. An innocent, beautiful girl is in love with a rogue gambler, and her father tries to save her.
When she sings the Imelda May Irish chart topper, "Mountains To The Sea" she makes it her own. And one of my favorite is the Paul Kelly tune (who we reviewed last summer, here on these pages), "the Night Was Dark And Deep". Black turns this tune into Irish Soul music.
The Dirty Lowdown
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Dean
In some respects the same magic formula Mary's fans have come to expect: the best female vocalist of our time (or of all time),outstanding songs,and first class musicians. Added to the mix this time are all three of her children and husband, Imelda May, Finbar Furey, and Janis Ian. Three songs were written by son Danny. He has a bright future ahead as a song writer. He also contributes guitar, and other son Conor adds bass guitar and backing vocals. Daughter Roisin does stellar backing vocals, and husband Joe backing vocals. Imelda, Janis, and Finbar each share a song with Mary. Pat Crowley and the rest of the band shine as usual, bringing their talent to these wonderful songs that Mary always manages to mine from some of the very best song writers. Intelligent lyrics that present stories that create images in your mind. As expected love stories are here, but also family situations during troubled times, anti-war, traveling, old time American western, and a children's song are all covered. The last song, One in a Million is an incredible, brilliant tale of love and life previously performed by Chris Wood and written by Hugh Lupton. Many thanks to Hugh for creating such a masterpiece and to Chris for performing it so that Mary could give it the charm only she can. An outstanding compilation worth waiting for, but I hope the next one comes soon. If this doesn't make you happy and make you cry you might want to check yourself for a pulse. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Steben
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mary Black is outstanding, as usual, but the selection of songs is disappointing. The melodic magic of Irish music is missing. I have many Mary Black CDs that I listen to over and over...this is not one of them.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Album
I like Mary Black's music. This is not my favorite album so far, but I find that the more I listen to it, the better I like it.
Published 3 months ago by Judith B. Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Mary Black's best albums.
I have all of Mary Black's albums. This is one of her best. If you enjoy Mary's music, you might want to get this album.
Published 6 months ago by PAMELA J.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love this CD
While a bit different from other Mary Black's music, this one is still wonderful and I enjoy listening to it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by shjava
5.0 out of 5 stars
She may be Irish, but her glorious voice and choice of songs are...
I'm a bit late to the "party" to celebrate the release of this first new studio album from Irish singer Mary Black, but I'll add my "two cents" - and my five stars - to those who... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Steven I. Ramm
