Play 90 second soundbite of 'Maasai' @ 'CD quality'
Dempsey has a unique voice and he delivers his poetic wares with individualistic style and almost palpable passion. You can just sense that these songs mean a great deal to this Irish songsmith. In his voice Dempsey still proudly carries enough of his native brogue which acts as a constant reminder of his roots and heritage. His story-telling songs are strong and heartfelt and cover a wide range of social, historic and emotional topics; from Irish slavery to drug dealing, pretty girls and just about everything in between. Whatever the crux of the song, Dempsey seems to inject part of himself - as if he really feels the 'hurt', the wrong-doing, the errors of others' ways. Although Dempsey may not be the most gifted or the purest vocal talent around, he sure knows how to use what he's got - his gritty performance throughout this excellent album is totally believable and pretty compelling.
Damien Dempsey's 'To Hell Or Barbados' is perhaps a little challenging at times, it's not typically yer mainstream folk/rock work, it's thought provoking, it's enlightening and it's defo got some big hooks that drag you in even if you're not sure where you're being led. The directional uncertainty of the work never lets you get comfortably into a groove - it constantly asks questions of you, it's forever taking you off at tangents - it's a bit like a musical travelogue and you're never quite sure where it'll put you down. But, wherever it takes you it's well worth the effort required to get into Damien Dempsey's very different musical world.
This is my sort of thing and I absolutely love Damien Dempsey's 'To Hell Or Barbados' - I found it refreshingly unique, sufficiently challenging but above all - a bloody great trip!!
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