Reviews
If
you have a favorite local Irish newspaper, magazine or website that does music
reviews, email thefenians@thefenians.com
with the contact info and we'll submit our CD for review.
Every Day's
a Hooley
(the following
is an excerpt from the June 2004 issue of Irish
Music Magazine)
....Their new album 'Every day's a Hooley' is their most accomplished to date
covering Irish ballads, American folk songs and original material musically
blending folk, cool Jazz and World Music flourishes. 'This is a record we
wanted to make for a long time. We wanted to do some songs that we had written
and push the envelope a bit as well as Irish ballads and American folk songs.
Brendan has a great eye for unusual songs and came up with 'The Bakers Dozen',
'The Token Whiskey Song', 'Greener Pastures'- that song was really different
for us but we wanted to do it and he found 'The Girls along the Road' on a
Patrick Street CD. There are certain songs that Rob can sing and he owns them,
but we have tried 'Go Move Shift' with Stuart singing it and it really works
live. 'Rebel Sons of Erin' has lyrics written by Joe Sullivan who is very
interested in Irish and American history and this song mentions the Irish
soldiers that fought on the Union side. 'Is It Really You' was written in
between Albany and Boston - I wrote the first few lines on the laptop and
the rest came out immediately'. The Fenians have toured Ireland every year
since 1998, 'we usually bring around 100 people with us in three motor coaches.
We want them to see the real Ireland so we go to places like Cork, Galway,
Clare, and of course Dublin. We usually come over around November, all the
tourists are gone and it's a better time for people to see the country. We
play a few gigs on the tour like The Quays in Galway and last time we did
Whelan's in Dublin -a great venue. Our next tour is in November and we will
have around 100 people with us and it will be great fun'. The Fenians are
a 'fun' live band onstage but are a strongly disciplined, musically sophisticated
and hard working outfit. Blasting out large doses of good entertainment laced
with the odd curveball such as encoring with 'Mustang Sally' after belting
out ballads The Fenians offer an intriguing mix of Irish roots and native
Americana and a good time is guaranteed from Orange County's native sons!
© John O'Regan -April 2004 for print media use only. Electronic Media use
by author's permission only.
excerpt from "THE REEL WORLD: Small-label English and Celtic Music" by Tom
Nelligan
(Dirty Linen Magazine June/July
'04 p.59)
...Finally, there's the California quintet called The Fenians, who at first
glance might appear to be one more typical Irish pub band, but these guys
move well beyond beer-chugging singalongs on their recording Every Day's a
Hooley [Mizen Head Music(2003)]. This is a witty and somtimes thought-provoking
group, clever enough to open the disc with a cheerful account of alcoholic
axcess slyly called "Token Whiskey Song" and then follow it up with a great
and very unexpected bluegrass banjo and saxophone arrangement of the Tom Campbell/Linda
Albertano 1960s classic "2:10 Train." There's a biting cover of Ewan MacColl's
politically charged "Go, Move, Shift," a driving arrangement of the traditional
"Night Visiting Song" with a soaring melody, and in the title track an optimistic
bit of philosophizing that mixes a reggae chorus with a nod to the old chestnut
"Tom Dooley." And happily, there's not a single fake Irish accent to be heard
anywhere.
The
Fenians, Every Day's a Hooley (Mizen Head, 2003)
From the title and opening of track one, "Token Whiskey Song" written by band
member Brendan Harkins, you know where you are with this band and album. There
is an obvious love of the traditional folk song here, but also a desire to
add to the canon. The Fenians are a highly accomplished band, capable of and
ready to push the boundaries of folk music. They bring us McColl's "Go Move
Shift" and McTell's "Clare to Here" alongside the O'Mearas' "Grace" -- but
it is the less well-known and newly written material that grabs our attention.
"The Girls Along the Road" is an excellent case in point where the arrangement
gives new life to the lyrics. A joint effort from the band is "Baker's Dozen"
and it is a potential single hit -- on radio stations with a very liberal
agenda only. It is, shall we say, somewhat risque but great fun. It is a lovely
story song telling a tale of a couple blessed with a large family ... on the
first try. Listen to "Night Visiting Song" for a totally new version of an
old favourite that will enthrall you. I loved the full treatment given to
this song. With a name like the Fenians they could not avoid the old rebel
song. Thankfully, they chose a rebel song from the American War Between the
States. The track called "Rebel Sons of Erin" is another great story song
that will hold your attention. To show that they can also present a modern
romantic track they give us the beautiful "Is It Really You?" The last of
the listed tracks is "Every Day's a Hooley," which they subtitle "Tom Dooley
Part 2." This is a great pub song that one can just picture getting the audience
into that frenzy that only Irish music can achieve. But do not switch off
until you hear the unlisted track 13. I assume that it is "Hooley Hornpipe"
by Dave Burnett. <Webmaster's note-"Hooley Hornpipe" is the
instrumental portion of "Every Day's A Hooley" as composed by Dave
Burnett; Track 13 is a very old piping tune "March of the King of Laois">This
is a great album combination of old, new and new interpretations.
- Rambles
written by Nicky Rossiter
published 7 February 2004
www.rambles.net
The Fenians
Every Day's A Hooley
It's easy to fall into the trappings of a good-time bar band. Just ask The
Fenians. For years, the Costa Mesa-based Irish folk/rockers played to rowdy
crowd expectations, often at the expense of their own creative rudder. But
the lads got ambitious with the 1999 release of Band of Rogues, a breakthrough
effort spotlighting several well-crafted original compositions, including
the historical anthem "The San Patricios." Now the band-featuring vocalist/mandolinist
Terry Casey, guitarist/vocalist Rob Williams, bassist/piper/vocalist Brendan
Harkins, drummer Chris Pierce, and newest member, sax/flute/whistle player
Dave Burnett-reaches its pinnacle on the brand-new Every Day's a Hooley. Impeccably
produced, the album's dozen tracks bleed Irish green, oozing with spirited,
retooled traditionals (Baker's Dozen," "From Clare to Here") and such thought-provoking
originals as Casey's "Is It Really You?" and Harkins' "Greener Pastures."
Plus, courtesy of Burnett's horns and wind instruments, the sonic mix is more
robust and varied than ever. But before anyone suggests I'm taking The Fenians
too seriously -after all, one of their mottos is "Have Fun or Get Out!"- you
can bet Wednesday's CD-release show at the Coach House will indeed be a party.
Can you imagine how many fans will just love raising a pint (or two) while
singing along to this chorus from "Every Day's a Hooley (Tom Dooley Pt 2)":
"So keep up your faith in humanity/If you find yourself in a calamity/Just
try to hold on to your sanity/But not too tight…..Go Crazy!!!!"
John Roos
OC Weekly
11/21/2003
www.ocweekly.com
THE FENIANS
"EVERY DAY'S A HOOLEY"
The Fenians are already well-known for the rollicking, good-time sound they've
been bringing to the pubs of Orange County for years, as evidenced by their
previous CD's of mostly live material. But this new studio CD brings them
up to the next level, more in keeping with the nationally known combo they've
become. While the fun certainly doesn't stop here - there's drinking songs
and rocking instrumental numbers as well as pub standards the likes of Ralph
McTell's "From Clare to Here"- there is something here that is a little more
advanced, a little more serious, than their previous work. Perhaps it's the
bigger number of originals - half of the 12 numbers are at least in part by
band members. Founder, mandolin playing lead singer Terry Casey, is singing
better than ever as well, with confidence and maybe even a tiny bit of swagger
in his voice to go along with the vocal strength he's always had. The musicianship
is solid, but that's likewise always been the case. New member Dave Burnett
on sax, flute, and whistles is an exciting addition, and long-time members
Rob Williams (guitar), Brendan Harkins (bass) and Chris Pierce (drums), all
of whom sing (Pierce particularly well), are as strong and languid as ever.
What probably makes this the best release of The Fenians' career, however,
is the pure depth, the diversity of styles and feels that they manage to make
coalesce on this rich release. From the opening drinking song - called, cleverly
enough, "Token Whiskey Song" - to the ending title track, and update on the
American murder ballad "Tom Dooley," it's a batch of songs in a variety of
moods, informed by both the pub culture from which the band developed, and
the Irish immigrant experiences of their ancestors. Sensitive love songs like
"Grace" and Casey's "Is It Really You?" rub shoulders with humorous songs
like "Baker's Dozen," original lyrics to a traditional tune, about a woman
giving birth to thirteen children. There's also two historical songs, "Rebel
Sons of Erin" - a song in memory of the Irish immigrants who fought on the
side of the South in the Civil War, and Ewan MacColl's "Go, Move, Shift,"
a classic song about travelling people, with additional lyrics by Christy
Moore. It's all held together with not only fine production and playing, but
with a variety of emotions that make the CD an impressive journey, on which
the band brings the listener along.
Dave Soyars
The Irish Herald
Jan 2004
www.irish-herald.com
The Fenians
Every Day's a Hooley
Mizenhead Records
Although the Fenians have released a number of likeable recordings chronicling
the contagious spirit of the Irish music group's fun-filled live shows, "Every
Day's a Hooley" delivers an artistic statement stretching across the full
length of a sole commercial release. So while single tracks such as "The San
Patricos" (featured on the excellent 1999 disc "Band of Rogues") have matched
the power of the Young Dubliners, the 12 songs on "Every Day's a Hooley" wholly
capture the right mix of musical voices that make the Fenians a top draw at
Irish music fests around America. While the group continues to reintroduce
traditional tunes ("From Clare to Here," "Night Visiting Song") to modern
audiences, the increasingly compelling originals such as "Greener Pastures"
and "Is It Really You?" blend together with the reworked classics better than
ever before. In addition to the spirited blend of traditional Celtic and modern
rock sensibilities that have always defined Costa Mesa's Fenians, the group
finds itself rich in homegrown talent. While group founder Terry Casey continues
to provide a strong center with his distinctive voice and excellent skills
on mandolin, guitarist Rob Williams and bassist Brendan Harkins both get to
shine in songs featuring their talents in front of the vocal mic. Williams'
rich baritone shines on "Two Ten Train," while Harkins' tenor is showcased
on "Greener Pastures." And, in one of the shining moments on "Every Day's
a Hooley," the Fenians' collective voices gather on "Night Visiting Song"
it casts light on how the musical world might have been different if the Beach
Boys had somehow had their origins in Dublin instead of Hawthorne. Rating:
A
Robert Kinsler
OC Register
www.ocregister.com
LIVE magazine
www.livemagazine.com
Have Fun or
Get Out
www.rambles.net
www.greenmanreview.com
Band of Rogues
www.rambles.net