Favourite Irish albums of the CLUAS writers
Jimmy Murphy's top 5 Irish albums of all time...
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Act:
Mumblin' Deaf Ro
Album: 'Senor My Friend'
In the midst of a tidal wave of singer/songwriters releasing home
produced recordings, "Senor My Friend" is one of only a few that deserves to be
labelled as "unique". Filled with chirpy finger picking and acoustic rhythms,
these impossibly addictive tunes make way for some of the most imaginative yet
realistic lyric writing you?re ever likely to hear. "Every Now And Then" and "The Ballad Of Lonesome Ray James" are fables by nature while
"It Never Even
Entered My Mind" is a heartbreak song written so simplistically; it?s impossible
not to be taken in by it. Songs about love, heartbreak, lousy jobs and a few
fables make you wonder whether Ro is a better storyteller or musician. As he
sings "The world can?t stop waiting, ?cos I?m not going to change", let?s hope
he doesn?t.
Act:
Settler
Album: 'Hard Won Hard Wired'
The follow up to the hazy and folksy "Life Upstream", this record shows
Settler in a more settled (if you?ll pardon the pun) and much happier pop-rock
humour. "Duish" is a glorious tap-a-along with a banjo riff while "Fire It Down"
and "New Song" are furious rushes that would definitely sound great live. Also,
Settler do not betray their roots on this record as songs like "Brothers" and "22" hone close to the soft intermingled acoustics so commonplace on
"Life
Upstream". A great follow-up from a great band.
Act:
Nina Hynes
Album: 'Staros'
Nina?s first full album is a very dreamy venture wrapped up in
surrealism, and it has undeservedly lived its life in the shadow of Gemma Hayes.
"Mono Prix" was an obvious choice for the single and it rocks. "Last Song Of The
20th Century" and "Universal" are perfect examples of Hynes? ability to observe
and write, while "The Other Side Of Now" is filled with distant hope. Such is
the style of writing on the album as a whole; it?s a listen that will reach a
lot further than your ears. Only poor production keeps it off my no.2 spot.
Act:
Boa Morte
Album: 'Soon It Will Come Time To Face The World Outside'
Definitely Cork?s finest offering in recent years, "Soon?" is one of the
most elegant Irish releases of all time. Melancholy but never depressing, the
album is a collection of gentle melodies with lead singer Ruxton always floating
his voice to perfection. Many of its lyrics are divulgences of history while
others such as "Tired Eyes, they hold their water" make it very difficult not to
be immersed by it. Consequently, songs like "Tired Eyes" and "Milking Machine"
ooze poignancy while "North Star" is an atmospheric gem. For many, this is
possibly the finest Irish debut of all time.
Act:
U2
Album: 'Achtung Baby' (1991)
This writer is not a dedicated fan of U2 by any stretch of the
imagination, but "Achtung" is filled with pop-rock gems, chart-fuelled or
otherwise. From the electro-rock brilliance of "The Fly" to the world-renowned
ballad "One", this is U2 at their best. "Wild Horses" and "Even Better Than The
Real Thing" constantly reinforces this as good old-fashioned rock and roll and "Until The End Of The World" is easily its best track. Outside of all of that,
this record?s most redeeming feature is how potently it belongs to U2.
- Check out the final Top 50 Irish Albums of All Time as voted by CLUAS.com readers
- Discuss this selection of best Irish albums of all time on the CLUAS Discussion Board.
- Check out the top 5 Irish albums of all time chosen by these other CLUAS writers:
Allen Conlan
Anthony Morrissey
Brano
Brian Farrelly
Brian Kelly
Celine O'Malley
Chris Ford
Ciaran Wrenn
Cormac Looney
Donal Griffin
Dromed
Gav Reilly
Hugh Tynan
Jimmy Murphy
Jules Jackson
Ollie O'Leary
Stephen McNulty
