Undercurrents

The product of Jon Richards’ famed in-studio sessions on Galway Bay FM, this double album is crammed with the cream of Irish talent. Largely acoustic live takes by the likes of David Kitt, Damien Rice, The Frames, Sack, Relish, Gemma Hayes and Brando jostle for space with a few well-connected international names (Ron Sexsmith, Tom McRae and Hazel O’Connor). There are plenty of unpolished gems here, including Kittser’s acoustic daydreaming on ‘Song From Hope Street,’ Mundy’s blissful summer evocations on ‘July’, and a couple of intense numbers from Juliet Turner, starkly gripping in their minimalism. We also get two tracks from Damien Rice – the languid grace and pent-up emotion of ‘Volcano’ and a beautifully cello-strained epic, ‘The Blower’s Daughter’ – manna from heaven for those who can’t wait for the arch-perfectionist to hurry up already and finish his debut solo album. The regular blues and jazz elements of the show are also keenly represented by artists including Junior Thompson, Mary Stokes and Bela Fleck capturing the intensity of live radio with consistently good sound quality, the album shows just why Richards’ show has such status. A rich mine of headphone listening.