Jerry O’Reilly

Havoc in Heaven Independent Release ***

Traditional song and singers are thriving these days, spurred by weekly gatherings at An Góilín singers' club, Cork Singers' Club and the Clé Club, among others. Jerry O'Reilly is a linchpin of An Góilín, and Havoc in Heaven is his second solo CD in 10 years. It is a strapping collection that traces a circuitous route through tales of forced emigration, marine tragedy (The Titanic gets a timely airing), labour songs and, fittingly, a salute to the late Frank Harte, a long-time mentor of Irish singers at home and away. With just one song, False Lover John, given musical accompaniment, and a scattering of male harmonies, the wash of mostly unaccompanied song may challenge the uninitiated at times. Songs, too, that flourish in three dimensions tend to falter beneath the weight of a studio-bound delivery, stripped of the visible energy of the live setting. Still, it is a handsome collection of songs that'll fuel a raft of repertoires from Stoneybatter to Sneem. jerryoreilly.net SIOBHÁN LONG