Warm, Velvety Vocals On Hybrid SACD!
Love, loss, self-pity, recognizing chances and taking them - or not, almost mystical nature experiences, life-changing encounters, art and artists, environmental protection, human rights: it is truly a broad, moving and very current spectrum of themes which Irish singer-songwriter Brian Flanagan has worked through in the eleven tracks of his first Super-Audio CD.
The melodies are catchy but not banal. After having listened to the album a few times you'll find many of the wonderful tunes continually rotating around in your head - getting more familiar and enjoyable with each turn. That is of course also due to Flanagan's warm and velvety voice, the soft background choirs and the unassuming but wonderfully musical and supportive instrumental backing.
Good examples are the haunting lamentations of the flute on the title track "Where Dreams Are Made", the crystal-clear yet warm Irish pipes in "Flowers In the Window" - a piece in memory of a friend, and the piano dripping notes like a tap in the self-searching "Whole Lot of Livin'". The harmonium in "Lagan Love" is played by Flanagan himself, conjuring up the picture of mists rising from the river.
The listening experience gets a further deeper dimension if you read the song lyrics with their surprising images in the graphically opulent SACD booklet. Brian Flanagan often sings quite quickly - with sometimes unexpected stops and stars. He occasionally throws in Irish words like "gra" (love), and not only in the traditional "Lagan Love".
Irish songwriter, composer, vocalist, musician and poet, Brian Flanagan has worked with artists from diverse musical backgrounds such as Michael Flatley, Nadine Coyle, Eric Bibb, Nathan Carter, Finbar Furey, Brian Kennedy and Sharon Shannon.
Brian is renowned for his ability to write to order, emotionally charged pieces that are immediately engaging.
"Brian has got a truly wonderful voice, he can really grab hold of a song and take it to the top." - Eric Bibb
"Flanagan's grasp of structure and internal rhyme is head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries." - The Irish Times
Features:
• Super Audio CD
• SACD 5.1 Multi-Channel SACD Layer
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Hybrid SACD contains a 'Red Book' Stereo CD Layer which is playable on most conventional CD Players!
Musicians:
Brian Flanagan, vocals, guitar, Indian Harmonium
Jens Kommnick, guitars, Uilleann ppes, banjo, bouzouki
Lutz Moller, piano, keyboard
Jean Kelly, harp
Ian Melrose, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, flute
Lea Morris, backing vocals
Hans-Jorg Maucksch, fretless & electric bass
Sven von Samson, percussion
Selections:
1. Flowers In The Window
2. The Gift
3. The Painter
4. Whole Lot Of Livin'
5. The Question
6. Where Is The Love
7. Home
8. Lagan Love
9. Where Dreams Are Made
10. To Love
11. Fly Goodbye
Total playing time, 41:59
Love, loss, self-pity, recognizing chances and taking them - or not, almost mystical nature experiences, life-changing encounters, art and artists, environmental protection, human rights: it is truly a broad, moving and very current spectrum of themes which Irish singer-songwriter Brian Flanagan has worked through in the eleven tracks of his first Super-Audio CD.
The melodies are catchy but not banal. After having listened to the album a few times you'll find many of the wonderful tunes continually rotating around in your head - getting more familiar and enjoyable with each turn. That is of course also due to Flanagan's warm and velvety voice, the soft background choirs and the unassuming but wonderfully musical and supportive instrumental backing.
Good examples are the haunting lamentations of the flute on the title track "Where Dreams Are Made", the crystal-clear yet warm Irish pipes in "Flowers In the Window" - a piece in memory of a friend, and the piano dripping notes like a tap in the self-searching "Whole Lot of Livin'". The harmonium in "Lagan Love" is played by Flanagan himself, conjuring up the picture of mists rising from the river.
The listening experience gets a further deeper dimension if you read the song lyrics with their surprising images in the graphically opulent SACD booklet. Brian Flanagan often sings quite quickly - with sometimes unexpected stops and stars. He occasionally throws in Irish words like "gra" (love), and not only in the traditional "Lagan Love".
Irish songwriter, composer, vocalist, musician and poet, Brian Flanagan has worked with artists from diverse musical backgrounds such as Michael Flatley, Nadine Coyle, Eric Bibb, Nathan Carter, Finbar Furey, Brian Kennedy and Sharon Shannon.
Brian is renowned for his ability to write to order, emotionally charged pieces that are immediately engaging.
"Brian has got a truly wonderful voice, he can really grab hold of a song and take it to the top." - Eric Bibb
"Flanagan's grasp of structure and internal rhyme is head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries." - The Irish Times
Features:
• Super Audio CD
• SACD 5.1 Multi-Channel SACD Layer
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Hybrid SACD contains a 'Red Book' Stereo CD Layer which is playable on most conventional CD Players!
Musicians:
Brian Flanagan, vocals, guitar, Indian Harmonium
Jens Kommnick, guitars, Uilleann ppes, banjo, bouzouki
Lutz Moller, piano, keyboard
Jean Kelly, harp
Ian Melrose, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, flute
Lea Morris, backing vocals
Hans-Jorg Maucksch, fretless & electric bass
Sven von Samson, percussion
Selections:
1. Flowers In The Window
2. The Gift
3. The Painter
4. Whole Lot Of Livin'
5. The Question
6. Where Is The Love
7. Home
8. Lagan Love
9. Where Dreams Are Made
10. To Love
11. Fly Goodbye
Total playing time, 41:59
