Damp in the Attic: I Was... Flyin' It

DAMP IN THE ATTIC: I WAS ... FLYIN' IT

P.J. King: accordion

Martin Murray: fiddle, viola, mandolin

Cyril O'Donoghue: vocals, bouzouki, guitar

Colm Murphy: bodhran

Many thumbs up to the recent album by Damp in the Attic, a band made of Ennis stalwarts P.J. King (accordion), Martin Murray (fiddle, mandolin), and Cyril O'Donoghue (bouzouki, vocals, guitar), with guest Colm Murphy (bodhran). Especially nice playing on the instrumentals, which at times can make one think of De Dannan. And O'Donoghue does a very decent job as well on songs like "Glencoe," "Dobbins' Flowery Vale," and "Lovely Willie." Martin Murray is not quite as impressive a fiddler as he is a mandolin and banjo player, his tone being a bit harsh; but the combination with King's accordion works well. The selection of tunes is very interesting too. As Siobhan Peoples puts it in the intro, "The only fault I have [with the album] is there's too many tunes to add to my 'must learn list'." It's pretty much all traditional, except for a few new compositions (very much in traditional style though)--the reel "Damp in the Attic" composed by King is a beauty--and one track of French Canadian tunes which sound very Irish in fact. This is one is for the "must have" list.

Rating: ****

Price: $19.99