Mick Flynn: A Singer's Dozen (Green Island Records)
Launched at the Willie Week in Milltown Malbay recently, this rough-hewn but soulful nosegay of unaccompanied song from a west Clare man comes from a time and place where you make your own entertainment. With his manly glissando creeping up on the notes, Flynn attacks the heart of some well-known songs like Lagan Love, or unreconstructed little numbers like Cathal Brugha, Sean Tracy or the Black and Tans and tricoloured coffins of Mack and Shanahan. It can all be a bit much in one sitting, the long, resonant six-minuters straining the attention span, but my enduring favourite is the forlorn old Scottsy flavour of Once I Loved, led by Flynn's wife Jane, their voices mingling timelessly together on the chorus.
Mic Moroney
Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Irish Folk (World Music Network)
Between the pair of them, Gael Linn and Green Linnet must be making a few bob for the summer from this predictable enough compilation, which comes emblazoned with logos like that of the worthy mag New Internationalist. On licence from Gael Linn comes Brian Hughes (the same track they flogged on the recent Or compilation with Hummingbird), Paddy Glackin (another Gael Linn favourite tune), De Danann, Declan Masterson, Sean Ryan, Jackie Daly, Colm Murphy and Aine Ui Cheallaigh overpowering a smaller team wearing the Green Linnet jersey: Reeltime, Cherish the Ladies, Kevin Burke, Moving Cloud, etc. Some great ould tracks all right, although they could've gone out and done more A&R. But sure bang it on with your brown bread and chowder, and you'll be laughing.
Mic Moroney