Reconciliation

GERALDINE MACGOWAN & FRIENDS: “Reconciliation” (GMG Records)

FORMERLY THE voice behind acclaimed trad/folk outfit, Oisin, with whom she recorded several albums, singer Geraldine MacGowan has been based in Hanover, Germany for the past few years where she now runs an Irish pub with her husband, musician Shay MacGowan.

Which is really Ireland’s loss, it has to be said, as MacGowan possesses a magnificently pure and enchanting voice which nicely blends the Celtic strains of Clannad’s Maire Brennan with the warm, intimate folk style of the late Sandy Denny. Her choice of material on Reconciliation, which includes songs by Kieran Halpin, Andy Irvine and Ron Kavana, as well as some traditional fare, perfectly showcases her considerable vocal adeptness and emotional commitment to the songs.

With just sparse but effective acoustic-guitar backing, the album’s opener, ‘West Coast Of Clare’, an atmospheric and evocative tune, sets the emotional tone of the record which continues with the plaintive ‘Jealously’ and ‘Whatever Goes Around Comes Around’, a beautiful song with MacGowan’s voice enhanced by soft, angelic, backing harmonies and fretless bass playing which gives it a faintly jazzy feel.

There are some purely instrumental tracks on Reconciliation: ‘Rottweilers Set’, a lively hornpipe, ‘Liffey Banks/Spike Island Lassies’ a couple of energetic reels and the popular ‘Bonnie & Clyde Set’ – each featuring fine tin-whistle and flute playing by multi-instrumentalist, Brian O’Connor.

But the track that stands out above all others on this impressive collection is the haunting ‘Never Get Enough Of You’, written by Chris Jones, who also contributes guitar and slide playing to the album. A heartbreakingly beautiful meditation on long-distance love, it features the pithy line: “There’s a million miles and a telephone line between your lips and mine.”

With delicately balanced, sympathetic production by Michael Witzel and just the right amount of instrumental support, Reconciliation is a moving and fine album, oozing with substance and style.

• Colm O’Hare