Sonny Condell: Swallows and Farms

Sonny Condell has been around a long time – even longer than some of us scribblers – but there's nothing perfunctory or casual about his latest solo album.. Swallows and Farms is a work of intense reflection, sheathed in layers of complex melody, carefully rendered and stamped with the singular Condell sound. Over 11 tracks, the Wicklow tunesmith seeks to evoke moments in time, calling on the natural world to provide the bucolic backdrop for his musings on life, time passing and love. There's a rich visuality to his observations as his voice steps lightly through these intricate songs. But, equally, his search for distinctive expression at times subverts the roundedness that is the mark of great song. The graceful Falling Apple Sound, the quietly urgent The Silver Tassie and the philosophical Comes Calling are among the highlights. Equally pleasing is his production and guitar playing.
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Download: Falling Apple Sound, Comes Calling