Mick Hanly Collected Self Released/CD Baby ***
"The news is . . . I'm still alive . . . " Mick Hanly gets to the point at his website, where you can buy this self-released collection of the best of his work over the past 20 years.

I have always had an ear for Hanly's distinctive, rugged honesty and controlled grasp of sentiment, and his ability to write such good tunes as Past the Point of Rescue, Damaged Haloand The Silence. This collection, drawn from studio and live recordings, is notable for the number of songs marked by a sense of regret, even guilt. Hanly's own typically candid remarks (again on the website) hint that his restless spirit is finding some peace, although he admits the rate of new songs has slowed. But this collection shows how he made an impact, a connection to a generation raised on civil war politics, blind religion and low expectations, and who wanted something more. www.mickhanly.com

Download tracks: Damaged Halo, The Silence, Warts and All