FROM THE SEA TO THE SHORE
Tracks:
Sailing to Philadelphia
The Man From Tralee
Lord Franklin
Shoals of Herring
Farwell to Tarwathie
Fiddler’s Green
The Holy Ground
Make and Break Harbour
Mingulay Boat Song
Christian Island
Rolling Home
The Man From Tralee
Lord Franklin
Shoals of Herring
Farwell to Tarwathie
Fiddler’s Green
The Holy Ground
Make and Break Harbour
Mingulay Boat Song
Christian Island
Rolling Home
Credits:
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Jeff Taylor -
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Pete Huttlinger -
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Byron House -
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Matt Combs -
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Kenny Malone -
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Rob Ickes -
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Skip Cleavinger -
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Brent Truitt – mandolin
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alex beaton
Alex and I first discussed a “seafaring album” five or so years ago shortly after the release of his “Lover’s Heart” cd. At the same time he was also considering what was released as “The Songs of Robert Burns” in 2007. He much admired Rabbie Burns’ works and had wanted to do a tribute to The Bard for many years. This cd contains some of my favorite Burns works (“A Man’s A Man” which in many ways anticipated the rise of liberalism in Scotland and “The Lea Rig”, a song of love, Burns’ favorite theme) as well as some I have grown quite fond of (“Kirkconnel Lee”, a song of tragic love, and “Green Grow the Rashes O” that sums up his core philosophy). This cd also included a pair of excellent songs that are not Burns’ works (“The Shearin’s no for You” concerning sheep and a pregnant woman, and “The Wild Geese (Norland Wind)” which is about the conversation with the wind and either wild geese or a man. Alex and I differ on this, he sides with the popular, and more romantic, story that it’s geese while I go with the pragmatic Man view. However, when he’s on the stage, he can tell it any way he wishes; besides, his is more romantic.)
As I was saying, we discussed the collection of seafaring songs a number of times including the playlist to be included. Unfortunately, the wealth of songs to choose from and the number that fit on a cd are considerably different. In the end, Alex narrowed it down to the eleven that he shares with us on this cd. The result is a unique work. There are few albums released that contain a full set of keepers. To my mind, I can only recall Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Cat Stevens’ “Tea for the Tillerman”. (There are several “greatest hits” albums that fit this mold, but, then, they are designed for that purpose.) On “From the Sea to the Shore”, I can honestly say that there are no “wall flowers”. I should say that the only song in the playlist that I had not heard before is “Christian Island”. But it’s a Gordon Lightfoot song and you play a Lightfoot song with the preconceived idea that you are going to like. And, as usual, I was not disappointed.
So I received my copy in the mail on Thursday. I returned from lunch and found the envelope on my desk and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours sailing to Philadelphia, fishing for some silver darlin’s and rolling home. I’m sure several of my workmates wondered what the hell “heel ya’ ho boys” meant.
It’s immediately obvious that this cd is different from Alex’s previous works. The sound is…well, different. The entire cd was recorded and produced in Nashville with local musicians. So the instrumentals contain that essence of Nashville that makes it unlike any other music in this universe. If you want to truly understand this, just play “Shoals of Herring”. This is not your grandfather’s seafaring arrangement. The opening notes will catch you totally off guard but it’s the weird slide dobro guitar that says Nashville. (The dobro on the track is not weird, it’s the instrument itself as was fittingly described by John Denver on one of his live works.) I hope you all enjoy this work as much as I have.
So let’s do a little seafaring!
As I was saying, we discussed the collection of seafaring songs a number of times including the playlist to be included. Unfortunately, the wealth of songs to choose from and the number that fit on a cd are considerably different. In the end, Alex narrowed it down to the eleven that he shares with us on this cd. The result is a unique work. There are few albums released that contain a full set of keepers. To my mind, I can only recall Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Cat Stevens’ “Tea for the Tillerman”. (There are several “greatest hits” albums that fit this mold, but, then, they are designed for that purpose.) On “From the Sea to the Shore”, I can honestly say that there are no “wall flowers”. I should say that the only song in the playlist that I had not heard before is “Christian Island”. But it’s a Gordon Lightfoot song and you play a Lightfoot song with the preconceived idea that you are going to like. And, as usual, I was not disappointed.
So I received my copy in the mail on Thursday. I returned from lunch and found the envelope on my desk and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours sailing to Philadelphia, fishing for some silver darlin’s and rolling home. I’m sure several of my workmates wondered what the hell “heel ya’ ho boys” meant.
It’s immediately obvious that this cd is different from Alex’s previous works. The sound is…well, different. The entire cd was recorded and produced in Nashville with local musicians. So the instrumentals contain that essence of Nashville that makes it unlike any other music in this universe. If you want to truly understand this, just play “Shoals of Herring”. This is not your grandfather’s seafaring arrangement. The opening notes will catch you totally off guard but it’s the weird slide dobro guitar that says Nashville. (The dobro on the track is not weird, it’s the instrument itself as was fittingly described by John Denver on one of his live works.) I hope you all enjoy this work as much as I have.
So let’s do a little seafaring!