Customer Reviews

Wandering Home

5 star:		(6)
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I have been listening to this album now for over a year and I never seem to tire of it. Maura's voice is one of the most incredible I have ever heard! She can sing the blues with the best of them (Irish Blues) but can also be so sweet and soulful (that sounds like a contridiction but it's not) that you are really moved by her voice My favourite tracts on the album are her beautiful rendition of The Sally Gardens and the ever moving Teddy O'Neil. There are also upbeat numbers that set the feet tapping - Down the Moore and The West Coast of Clare. Maura is one of the MOST incredible artists of our time. A truly wonderful, talented and gifted artist

Blessed with one of the loveliest voices in music today, Maura O'Connell pays tribute to the music of her homeland with this superb recording. Longtime fans will recognize some of these songs as concert staples and new fans will be made by those willing to listen. A must.

I bought this CD and just can't get enough of it. I love the songs that she picked to sing on this recording-she puts her own lovely spin on traditional irish pieces. This is a CD that I can't seem to take out of my player for very long. And as an added bonus, I get to see her live this Friday at the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI. I can't wait to see her show and hear that beautiful voice live!

Maura O'Connell could probably sing the phone book and make it sound great. Fortunately, she usually doesn't let that stop her from seeking out beautiful songs to match her beautiful voice. There aren't too many duds anywhere in her catalog, and there aren't any at all here.

The liner notes explain how a trip home to Ireland, an impromptu house concert, and the birth of her son came together to inspire memories of her childhood through a collection of "old songs," hence the title. Appropriately, most of the songs are traditional, and those that aren't, especially Richard Thompson's "Down Where the Drunkards Roll," sound like they could be. The arrangements, though, are very contemporary yet true to the style of traditional Irish music. The overall tone is mellow and a bit melancholy, but the rollicking "Down the Moor" keeps it anything but sleepy.

Definitely her best album to date.

Her voice is sincere and beautifully realized, the backup vocals excellent, the instrumental backup apt. The arrangements manage to suggest traditional Irish music and more modern influences. "Shades of Gloria" is my own favorite on this, and a good exemplar, as it's haunting, evocative, and a beautiful interpretation of a well-written song. "Teddy," "Sally Gardens," and "Down Where the Drunkards Roll," especially the latter, are also wonderful in their own unique ways, as other reviewers have noted.

If you like Irish music and are interested in new interpretations, this album is a fine introduction to a worthy artist.

This album is Celtic folksongs at their best! All the songs are wonderful--true original Celtic. Maura has a beautiful voice and sings these songs to their best. If you are interested, go ahead! Buy this CD!!