Kieran Kennedy: "Foxymoran" (Warners)
Kieran Kennedy is one of Ireland's most prolific and poetic songwriters. One can easily see why Adam Duritz, from Counting Crows, describes him as a soul brother. Both are blessed with a form of lyricism that is all too rare in rock, in terms of their language, melodies and vocal phrasing, This is evident from this album's opening track, Cyane, with its sweep of strings, trance-like rhythms and a lyric that rises like a mist. "She's been riding that horse again?" Really, Kieran? I hope she was wearing her protective headgear. Twelve White Horses rides right out of the same psychic space. As does Lillies For Lulu, which even has a guitar lick that seems to stem from The Stones' Wild Horses. Less successful are tracks like Butterfly Man where Kieran yields to the temptation to proselytise. Overall, though, a beguiling suite of songs. Pity about the Jimi Hendrix-influenced smart-ass title of the album.
Joe Jackson
The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: a tribute (Columbia)
All too rarely there arrives an album that reconnects you with the little cell in your soul that originally loved music. This is such an album. It fired similar feelings in Bob Dylan, who put it together and who describes his hero Jimmie Rodgers as blessed with a voice that "gives hope to the vanquished and humility to the mighty". Singing transcendent songs like Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes and My Blue Eyed Jane certainly draws out a delicious layer of humility in Bono and Dylan, respectively. Van Morrison's Mule Skinner Blues also reminds us how "the father of country music" crossed the line into jazz, pop and folk, redefining each genre along the way. As the clock winds down we desperately need albums such as this to remind us which musical voices should lead us into the next millennium. Who better than "the man who started it all", Jimmie Rodgers? A classic.
Joe Jackson
Mike Scott: Still Burning (Chrysalis)
The man who was once a Waterboy went off with the fairies some time ago, and although his second solo album wears a solid rock'n'roll facade, it can't hide the fact that Mr Scott is still living in the ethereal world. Nothing wrong with that - God knows we all need a bit of magic in our lives - but Scott tends to overplay the otherworldiness a tad. Still Burning displays his usual fire and passion, but it's also stuck in the same mystical swamp which has often bogged down his musical output. Songs like Questions and Love Anyway are full of the wonder of it all, but by the time you get half way through the repetitive mantra of Open, you're just wondering when it's all going to finish.
Kevin Courtney
