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Fullbright
press release 2012 (word doc)
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Album Reviews
Joe
Giltrap The Irish Post
May
13, 2010
Mary McPartlan
Petticoat Loose
Petticoat
Loose Album can only enhance Mary's growing reputation
THIS is the second album from Galway-based songstress
Mary McPartlan and it has the same delightful
eclectic feel to it as her previous album The
Holland Handkerchief. When you hear the lovely
jaunty traditional Sios Faoi Braoch Loch Aileannsit
alongside the original Kiss The Moon and find
nothing strange about Leonard Cohen's Sisters
Of Mercy preceding a traditional Romanian song
with the help of a Romanian string quartet, then
you know you have something special. It is the
result of a two-year project with her friend the
poet and playwright Vincent Woods and it might
be fair to say it probably would not have happened
without the support of the Arts Council Deis award.
The album contains six new pieces of music, three
of which were written by Vincent Woods and set
to music by the superb Mairtin O'Connor. Two old
Irish pieces, that have their origins in her native
Drumkerrin, Co. Leitrim, were set to music by
Brendan O'Regan and a new song in Irish from Connemara
with music and lyrics by Padraigh O'hAolain was
translated by the great Kerry singer/songwriter
Tim Dennehy. Mary has yet again gathered a wonderfully
talented bunch of musicians to grace this album
and complement her voice perfectly. By engaging
the services and commitment of multi-talented
multi-instrumentalist Seamie O'Dowd, the man who
produced and contributed so much to The Holland
Handkerchief, Mary has ensured a certain continuity
of sound and feel which may or may not have been
planned but nevertheless works excellently. When
you add in the talents of Frankie Gavin, Cathal
Hayden, Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh, Gary O'Briain,
Rick Epping and Eddie Lynch it is hardly a surprise
that this album is so good. But all the instrumentation
in the world cannot compensate for a lack of quality
vocals and Mary McPartlan is blessed with a lovely
distinctive and expressive voice full of sincerity
and feeling. On tracks where backing vocals come
into play she is joined at various times by Ruth
Dillon, Bernie O'Mahony, Mart Staunton, Gemma
and Laura McPartlan and her daughters Mairead
and Meabh Noonan. Track five -Barbara Allen -
demonstrates this wonderfully. This album can
only enhance Mary McPartlan's growing reputation
and I am sure she will be performing tracks from
it when she appears in concert at Hammersmith
Cultural Centre on Saturday, May 15.
www.netrhythms.com
David
Kidman
April
2008
Mary McPartlan Petticoat Loose
MARY'S abnormally fine CD The Holland Handkerchief
was a highlight of my listening year back in 2004,
so it was in a heightened state of both eagerness
and trepidation that I approached her latest offering.
I needn't have worried in the slightest, for Petticoat
Loose is another exceptional release. Two years
in the making, its essence is represented by,
and crystallised in, the four principal strands
of Mary's artistic endeavours: her close associations
with luminaries of the traditional music world,
her work at the National University Of Ireland,
Galway, her ongoing musical collaboration with
former Dervish multi-instrumentalist Seamie O'Dowd
and her lifelong friendship with poet, playwright
and broadcaster Vincent Woods. These strands,
though on the surface quite diverse, are well
unified here by Mary's marvellous singing voice:
supremely strong, full of spirit and passion and
an intense love of the songs she sings, whatever
their provenance. Having said that, Mary benefits
much from the inventive nature of the settings
given to the songs, which range from the epic
layerings of Cúmha (Parting Sorrow) and Caoine
Sheáin Mhic Searraigh to the altogether simpler,
ungainly rusticity of the Romanian drinking song
Lumé, Lumé (accompanied by the galumphing strings
of the quartet ConTempo). Highlights are provided
by the pair of songs collected by Stiofán O'Cheilleachair
from the area of Drumkeerin where Mary grew up,
which are both blessed with imaginative arrangements
by Brendan O'Regan, while two further songs have
an intriguing choral setting: a beautiful, small-scale-harmonised
rendition of Barbara Allen contrasting with an
ambitious treatment of Lowlands Away on which
Mary's voice is surrounded by the surging waves
of sound produced by NUIG's Orbsen Choir. A further
standout track is Mary's solo unaccompanied rendition
of the traditional narrative My Generous Lover,
while another unexpected success is Mary's "strangely
comforting" cover of Leonard Cohen's Sisters Of
Mercy. The three Vincent Woods songs couldn't
be more contrasted too: Sanctuary is a poignant
childhood reminiscence, while Kiss The Moon's
light-country-bluegrassy setting belies the personal
and moving nature of its story and the album's
title track playfully makes use of a bluesy kind
of jig form to convey both the carefree abandon
and the ominous intoxicating allure of the strayed
woman of folklore. If I must be picky, the album's
two least successful tracks for me are Wild Mountain
Side, where Mary's very strength of vocal timbre
appears to hector the listener a touch, and Victor
Jara, whose almost jaunty accompaniment works
against the emotive power of Mary's voice. But
these criticisms are very much comparative, as
the album works so well as a whole and the rest
of it is so fine. No lover of good singing can
be disappointed with Mary's performance here,
while another definite selling-point must be her
excellent and illustrious support crew, which
includes Mairtín O'Connor, Cathal Hayden and the
aforementioned Mr. O'Dowd (all of whom appeared
on The Holland Handkerchief), with this time additionally
(amongst others) Frankie Gavin, Gerry (Banjo)
O'Connor, Garry O'Briain and Johnny Ringo McDonagh.
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Morning
Star
Continuing the folk tradition
David Granville
March
2008
MARY McPARTLAND - Petticoat Loose
A
LONG-RESPECTED figure on the Irish folk scene,
it's hard to believe that Petticoat Loose is only
Mary McPartland's second album. The release of
her first album in 2004, the award-winning The
Holland Handkerchief, brought her talents to a
wider audience. This excellent follow-up should
attract even more admirers and accolades. Launched
recently at the SIPTU Liberty Hall Theatre in
Dublin, Petticoat Loose is both a musical triumph
and a personal testament to the singer's experiences
and passions. Assisted by producer and multi-instrumentalist
Seamie O'Dowd and a host of other notable musicians,
McPartland's voice is clear, strong and passionate
throughout. Although unquestionably rooted in
the traditional, this album includes a wide variety
of styles and material, ranging from traditional
to new and original works. The album also includes
material from different folk traditions, such
as Leonard Cohen's Sisters of Mercy, Adrian Mitchell's
Victor Jara and the Romanian drinking song Lume
Lume. Opening track Sanctuary is one of the three
masterful collaborations between McPart-lan, poet
and playwright Vincent Woods and composer Mairtin
O'Connor. A mining song, Woods's lyrics set County
Leitrim's "coal pits of misery" against the sanctuary
of home among the fields and "blue green mountains"
of the singer's childhood and youth. McPartland's
two younger brothers both experienced the hazardous,
backbreaking toil of the Arigna mines before emigrating.
The title song is another Woods/O'Connor composition.
Based on a wild and dangerous - to men - female
character from the folklore of Tipperary and Kilkenny,
it offers a lyrically dark angle on the war of
the sexes. A champion of Irish language and culture,
it's not surprising to find two beautiful old
songs from McPartlan's native Drumkeerin, while
Cumha (A Parting Sorrow), a contemporary song
written and composed by Padraig O hAolain, mourns
the changes to Irish rural life and values wrought
by the spread of industrialisation and the wage
economy. The inclusion of Victor Jara is a powerful
nod towards the singer's past involvement with
the Chile Committee for Human Rights. Mitchell's
song, set to music by Arlo Guthrie, has been previously
recorded by, among others, Christy Moore and Dick
Gaughan. McPartland's version stands beside these
as their equal. With originality and quality in
abundance, Petticioat Loose must surely enhance
McPartland's reputation as one of Ireland's finest
female vocal talents.
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Irish
Democrat
David Granville
April 2008
"With
originality and quality in abundance, Petticioat
Loose looks set to ensure that McPartlan's reputation
as one of Ireland's finest female vocal talents
is spread even further afield." David Granville
WITH
SEVERAL decades of performing under her belt and
an artistic career taking in theatre, television
and a host of other cultural activities and initiatives,
it's hard to believe that Petticoat Loose is only
Mary McPartland's second album. Born and raised
near Drumkeeran in Co. Leitrim, she began performing
as far back as the 1970s. Since the mid-1980s,
she has lived in Galway, building a solid reputation
on the Irish folk scene while demonstrating her
many talents as a singer, producer, director and
organiser. The release of her first album in 2004,
the award-winning The Holland Handkerchief (MCPCD001),
brought her talents to a wider audience. This
excellent follow up should attract even more admirers
and accolades. Officially launched in February
at SIPTU's Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin - an
event which McPartlan herself described as a mix
of song, music, politics and human rights - the
album is a personal testament to the experiences
and passions of the singer's life. Assisted by
producer and multi-instrumentalist Seamie O Dowd
and a host of other notable musicians, McPartlan's
voice is clear, strong and passionate throughout.
Although unquestionably rooted in the traditional,
the album includes a wide variety of styles and
material. These range from traditional and contemporary
Irish-language songs to six new and original works.
The album also includes material from different
folk traditions, such as Leonard Cohen's Sisters
of Mercy, Adrian Mitchell's song about the murdered
Chilean poet and songwriter Victor Jara, and the
Romanian drinking song Lumè Lumè - the latter
track featuring the Romanian string quartet ConTempo.
The opening track, Sanctuary, is one of the three
excellent collaborations between McPartlan and
life-long friend, poet and playwright Vincent
Woods and composer Mairtín O'Connor. A mining
song, Woods' lyrics set Co. Leitrim's "coal pits
of misery" against the sanctuary of home amongst
the fields and "blue green mountains" of the singer's
childhood and youth. From the 15th-century onwards,
Arigna in Co. Roscommon and the nearby Co. Leitrim
mountains were famous for iron and, later, coal,
mining. Although the last pits closed in 1990,
McPartlan's two younger brothers both experienced
the hazardous, backbreaking toil of the mines
before emigrating. The song from which the album
tales its title is another Woods/O'Connor composition.
Based on a wild and dangerous - to men - female
character from the folklore of Tipperary and Kilkenny,
it offers a beautifully sung, but lyrically dark
angle on the war of the sexes. There's no doubt
in this song as who gets the upper hand. A champion
of Irish culture and language, the inclusion of
two beautiful old songs (Caoine Sheain Mhic Searraigh/Síos
Faoi Braoch Loch Aileann) comes as no surprise.
Set to music by Brendan O'Regan, both originate
from McPartlan's native Drumkeerin. Cúmha (A Parting
Sorrow), written and composed by Padraig Ó hAoláin
and translated by Tim Dennehy, is a new song from
Connemara lamenting the changes to Irish rural
life and values wrought by the spread of industrialisation
and wage economy. A powerful song in it's own
right, McPartlan's inclusion of Mitchell's poem
Victor Jara is a clear nod towards the singer's
past involvement with the Chilean exile community
in Ireland and the Chile Committee for Human Rights.
Set to music by Arlo Guthrie, Michell's poem has
been previously recorded by a host of notable
artists, most memorably perhaps being Christy
Moore and Dick Gaughan. By any standards, McPartlan's
version stands beside these as their equal. With
originality and quality in abundance, Petticioat
Loose looks set to ensure that McPartlan's reputation
as one of Ireland's finest female vocal talents
is spread even further afield. David Granville
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The
Irish Times
Siobhán
Long - Highs and Lows of 2005
16th December 2005
Meanwhile Mary McPartlan, the Bessie Smith
of traditional music, stilled audiences with her
eclectic repertoire and showed the wisdom of planting
one foot in the present while the other treads
adventurously into the past.
|
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| Photo
of Mary which appeared in The Irish Times
of December 16 2005 as part of Siobhán
Long's article on the musical highs and lows
of 2005. |
The Irish Times - The Ticket
Siobhán Long
5th February 2004
MARY McPARTLAN The Holland Handkerchief RMG ****
The sleeve notes hint at a meitheal coming together
for the making of this heart-stopping CD from
music producer – and now, finally, recording artist–
Mary McPartlan. And it’s a heavy meitheal band
with a difference: shot through with enough vim,
vigour and unfettered passion to fuel those lethal
marathon singing sessions that lop years off your
life while adding wings to the spirit. McPartlan’s
voice is gloriously earthy, as she breaks in her
material for all their life-giving powers. Shamie
O’Dowd’s multi-instrumental contributions are
a revelation of style and panache, his and McPartlan’s
vocal harmonies gelling fearlessly. Mairtín O’Connor,
Paddy Keenan and James Blennerhasset cosset and
challenge with grinning ease. But the songs rule:
The Tide Full is in perfect snap-shot of voice,
geography and history in faultless synchrony.
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BBC Music Online (www.bbc.co.uk)
Jon Lusk
29th Sep 2004
Mary McPartlan The Holland Handkerchief, (Mac
P Productions)
With this debut album arriving in her 50th year,
you could say Mary McPartlan has been a little
backward in coming forward as a singer. A busy
career in theatre and TV production is one of
the reasons that her remarkable lived-in voice
has so far only been heard in a few back-street
clubs of Galway and the surrounding area, but
The Holland Handkerchief is likely to change that.
Her tendency to bend notes betrays a fondness
for both the blues and sean-nós. An obvious highlight
is the charged, spooky title track which kicks
off the disc, establishing her as a compelling
story teller. The version of Shane McGowan's wonderful
"Rainy Night In Soho" is effectively understated,
and it's interesting to compare her take on "Aura
Lee" - full of sentiment, though never sentimental
- with that of fellow Galway singer Sean Keane.
On the more upbeat side, "As I Roved Out/Joe ODowd's
Barndance" strays into the kind of territory frequented
by The Dubliners, and "Saw You Running" could
almost be Kirsty MacColl. "Slieve Gallion Braes"
is the oldest song in her repertoire; performed
with just two backing singers, it harks back to
her early days in the mid 70's, when she was part
of a duo called Calypso. The other arrangements
include everything from the stark unaccompanied
take on "Lord Gregory" to the driving electric
folk rock of "The Holland Handkerchief", and come
courtesy of Dervish's excellent fiddler/guitarist
Shamie ODowd. Having initiated Ireland's TG4 National
Music Awards in the mid 1990's, Mary had the luxury
of being able to call on a who's who of Ireland's
traditional music scene to play for her. So the
starry cast of session musicians includes the
likes of Uilleann piper Paddy Keenan and accordionist
Mairtín OConnor, who help to make this one of
the year's finest traditional albums.
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Songlines
Geoff Wallis
Sept
- Oct 2004
MaryMcPartlan The Holland Handkerchief ***** (5*)
Incredible debut, and a potential Irish album
of the year Rarely can there have been a debut
album as compelling as The Holland Handkerchief,
released by the Leitrim-born, Galway-based singer,
Mary McPartlan. Blessed with a distinctively evocative
and welcoming voice and a strong sense of her
own musical personality, Mary and her close collaborator,
the stunningly talented multi-instrumentalist
Shamie O’Dowd of Dervish, have conspired to produce
a gem of a recording, thoroughly reinforced by
the redoubtable production skills of PJ Curtis.
Add to this instrumentalists of the calibre of
accordionist Máirtín O’Connor, uilleann piper
Paddy Keenan and fiddler Cathal Hayden and success
is utterly guaranteed. Apart from that voice,
the power of The Holland Handkerchief lies in
Mary’s choice of material and the quality of Shamie’s
arrangements. As well as the remarkably vibrant
opening title track, there are many other places
on the album where everything just simply falls
into place. One is Tim Edwards’ ‘Ladybird’, in
which the sheer expressive resonance of Mary’s
voice is highlighted by the eloquence of Eddie
Lynch’s piano accompaniment. Another is Mary’s
version of the Tim O’Brien/Guy Clarke collaboration,
‘John Riley’, where Shamie proves he might have
an alternative career as a blues harmonica player
and then demonstrates he could sub as a slide
guitar player too on an atmospheric rendition
of ‘Aura Lee’. Then there’s a dazzling largely
unaccompanied vocal performance of ‘Slieve Gallion
Braes’ to close an equally alluring album and
one that should already be considered as Irish
album of the year!
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fRoots
Colin
Irwin
June 2004
MaryMcPartlan
The Holland Handkerchief, MCPRCD001
She's long worked behind the scenes in Ireland
as a music producer for theatre and television...
and you instantly wonder what the hell she's been
doing producing other people when she can sing
like this. Earthy, with a real sense of the soul
of traditional song, I'd even go as far as saying
she's the best Irish singer I've heard since Dolores
Keane (though a voice in my head is yelling "Niamh
Parsons" even as I type). That McPartlan also
has some of the cream of Irish musicians grouped
around her - including Paddy Keenan, Mairtin O'Connor,
Liam Kelly, Tom Morrow and Cathal Hayden - in
addition to Dervish's excellent Shamie O'Dowd
as musical arranger and P.J.Curtis as producer-ensure
this will surely wind up as one of the very best
albums of the year. Her other forte seems to be
resurrecting and rejuvenating old material, most
disarmingly, one of Shane MacGowan's very finest
sentimental songs, Rainy Night In Soho', though
lively arrangements of The Holland Handkerchief,
Johnny Lovely Johnny, and As I Roved Out (a complete
with show stopping contribution from Cathal Hayden's
banjo) aren't far behind. It's a shrewd, neatly
balanced repertoire and in some ways surprising
repertoire... an eerie Peat Bog Soldiers; a pounding
version of John Riley, the Tim O'Brien/Guy dark
song about the San Patricios Irish brigade who
swapped sides to fight for the Mexicans against
the Yankees; a welcome reminder of the old Midnight
Well song Saw You Running; and a gently jazzy
Aura Lee over a tune later purloined by Elvis
for Love Me Tender. And she proves her credentials
as an unaccompanied singer with stunning versions
of Lord Gregory and Slieve Gallion Braes, the
latter helped along by some spine-tingling Mary
Staunton and Martina Goggin harmonies. Few are
the albums that can satisfy the hardcore folk
element while achieving clear mainstream appeal
- and the likes of Dolores Keane and Mary Black
have faltered. I do believe Mary McPartlan has
succeeded.
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Mojo
Colin Irwin
June 04
MARY McPARTLAN ***** The Holland Handkerchief
MCP1 Essential Folk Album of the Month
An extraordinarily mature and moving debut album
from an Irish mother of four SHE'S GOT a brilliant
supporting cast of musicians-ex-Bothy Band piper
Paddy Keenan and master box player Mairtin O’Connor
among them -- but ultimately it’s the voice that
pins you against the wall. Whether she’s delivering
the heart-tugging unaccompanied ballads, Lord
Gregory and Slieve Gallion Braes, the sinister
Peatbog Soldiers, Tim 0'Brien’s alt country stomper
John Riley or the jazz-infused Aura Lee to a tune
more often applied to Love Me Tender, McPartlan’s
singing has the depth, surety and instinctive
emotion you only tend to hear from generations
of traditional singers. I’ll go further and say
I’ve not heard an Irish singer with as much natural
soul since the young Delores Keane, and her transformation
of Shane McGowan’s, Rainy Night in Soho. This
is a sentimental Irish album in the good old way.
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