detailed info: discogs.com

After a very successful debut (mini-)album, A Gathering, in 2008, The Driftwood Manor bridge the gap to the next one with an EP release on Irish d.i.y. label Slow Loris. [...]]]> artist: The Driftwood Manor
release: Every Light Goes Out Eventually
format: CDr
year of release: 2009
label: Slow Loris
duration: 27:34

detailed info: discogs.com

After a very successful debut (mini-)album, A Gathering, in 2008, The Driftwood Manor bridge the gap to the next one with an EP release on Irish d.i.y. label Slow Loris. Every Light Goes Out Eventually is again a wonderful piece, though different from its predecessor, this time around with a focus on a meditative minimalism combining folk and drones.

“The May Floods Came” opens this EP with layered mantra-like chanting, backed by oriental drones on tampura and guitar chords. About halfway, a short piece of lyrics is delivered by Eddie Keenan, the man behind the project, after which the track returns to its basic mode. Of a similar nature is the central title track, which consists of a profoundly melancholic piano line of harmonic intervals, overlaying another subtle drone. Faint field recordings are heard here and there, as well as a deeper, darker drone. The release ends with a short coda, the folk-oriented “Before it Is Time”. It’s a beautiful brief piece for vocals and guitar, ending in a series of haunting chords for oriental strings.

And so, this record, centered around the theme of death and loos, comes to an untimely end itself. One wishes this gem, which reminds me of Current 93‘s Sleep Has His House in its melancholic minimalism, would have lasted longer. Thankfully, unlike people, CD players are equipped with reset buttons…

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. The May Floods Came (12:58)
2. Every Light Goes Out Eventually (11:11)
3. Before It Is Time (3:25)

It contains six tracks in a style that reminds me a bit of Dave’s earlier Australia-inspired works, with a bit of Holt thrown in as well. Summery feelings, a bit of the usual melancholia, [...]]]> Irish label Rusted Rail have released a new Agitated Radio Pilot EP, entitled A Field Day.

It contains six tracks in a style that reminds me a bit of Dave’s earlier Australia-inspired works, with a bit of Holt thrown in as well. Summery feelings, a bit of the usual melancholia, and a nice instrumentation featuring, among others, Bean Dolan and Eddie Keenan of Resurrection Fern and The Driftwood Manor, respectively.

Check out the samples on the Rusted Rail page, and be sure to pick this one up if you enjoy Dave’s works.

On a side note, it’s interesting that this release shows such a different side of Agitated Radio Pilot than the EP which we hope to put out on Evening of Light ourselves somewhere during the coming winter. You might be in for a surprise!

detailed info: discogs.com.

The Driftwood Manor is a new band based in Ballymahon, Ireland that plays a kind of acoustic alternative rock, but with a strong dose of folk thrown in, both free and traditional. Little surprise [...]]]> artist: The Driftwood Manor
release: A Gathering
format: CD-R
year of release: 2008
label: Self-released
duration: 29:58

detailed info: discogs.com.

The Driftwood Manor is a new band based in Ballymahon, Ireland that plays a kind of acoustic alternative rock, but with a strong dose of folk thrown in, both free and traditional. Little surprise if you look at the lineup, which apart from main songwriter and vocalist Eddie Keenan includes David Colohan (Agitated Radio Pilot, United Bible Studies, etc.) and Bean Dolan (Resurrection Fern), but also traditional fiddler Neil Fitzgibbon, among others. This short debut album is self-released on pro CDr, and actually of a very high quality.

The album starts off with an instrumental, which has a very dronish buildup and melancholic tinge. This shifts, however, to the second one – “To The Waves” – which is uptempo and combines a longing neofolk track (in the broad sense) with some traditional fiddling. There is much variety, though, as the three middle tracks illustrate. “Pyre” is a calm alternative folk ballad with female second vocals and tracks 5 and 6 show a relaxed, though still melancholic, singer/songwriter style. The final tracks contain a similar mixture of styles, from the uptempo “The Sense Of An Ending” – with more female vocals and also a trumpet – to the serenity of “Trial By Fire”. The sound is also quite enjoyable: very crisp, yet organic and idiosyncratic, particularly the drums and fiddle.

While I wouldn’t say this is a very innovative album, I’ve been playing it very often lately, as there is simply a lot of good songwriting in here. Another piece of evidence that Ireland is a nation of true artistry in the realm of popular music. This is a highly recommended and promising debut for any lover of alternative folk.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. From Here The Town Looks Like Nearby Stars (4:00)
2. To The Waves (3:22)
3. The Pull (2:09)
4. Pyre (4:15)
5. Thank You, Dear Aggressor (3:16)
6. I Will Wait For You (4:17)
7. The Sense Of An Ending (2:43)
8. Trial By Fire (2:57)
9. Voices In The Corridor (2:59)