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| ARTIST: |
Lenahan
(Google this artist) |
| ALBUM: |
Brand New Bag |
| LABEL: |
Clandestine Celtic Records |
| RELEASED: |
2002 |
There's a little switch on the side of the Neumann U87 microphone for a setting called "unidirectional." Once enabled, the mic is capable of capturing sounds from all sides as opposed to just those directly in front of it. There's a grand correlation between this setting and Jersey-based artist/group Lenahan.
Tom Lenahan has gained notoriety for his adept piping and vocalizing; his band, for its proficient execution of Celtic jigs, reels and singing songs. Now for the big "however": Lenahan sports a celtically-accented vocal one minute, a deep bluesy voice the next, and doesn't do shabbily with a Jamaican accent either. So much so that I began to wonder if this current CD, Brand New Bag, was accidentally switched in packaging with some artists' compilation.
With Tom bearing slight resemblance to David St. Hubbins from Spinal Tap, (at least in the promo pix), the look of the group varies from 80's rocker to bespectacled Harry Potter schoolboy. That's not to say that this clan is clueless by any means - on the contrary, the feeling here is that Lenahan just wants to buy the world a coke. The musical genres visited are represented with expertise and talent, as if each one was the artist's lifework.
"Brand New Bag," the title track, is 60's funk ala James Brown, fused with traditional-sound bagpiping, the hook, of course being a paean to Papa himself - "Piper's Got A Brand New Bag". Though the song is lyrically clever, being a piper personally, I'm reckoning that much of the terminology is reserved for those with similar hobbies and lost on the general public. The outcome however, is an entertaining blend of two opposing musical paths, and that's not an easy task.
"Marie" follows and takes us to tropical islands where pipers lazily sway under palm trees with their Guinness & rum chasers. "Islands in the Storm" brings us back to this comfortable setting, after first swingin' through Texas, ("Guinness as Usual"), and then lilting over the motherlands with two Celtic-flavored numbers, "No Go," and "Haven Green." "Bernoulli's Feet," "Phuktifano" and "One For Davy" (St. Hubbins?) keep us across the pond with plenty of Irish/Scottish spirit, obviously where this band started. But no sooner do I assume that than I'm dunked in slow blues with "Nothin," fast blues-rock with "Candle and the Flame," and finally laid to drip-dry with a western Willie-type thing called "New York Lullabye." Whew! I'm exhausted...
Some listeners will no doubt run drooling for their Ipods and turn this collection into three separate successful shorties. But I have to say let it roll. There's enough 12-song albums out there that put me to sleep after the fourth tune. At least this one keeps you alert, wondering about the next stop. Rock, reel, sway, and roll on, Lenahan.
And, oh, how they danced...
review by Kyf Brewer
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Figgle 2001-2007