Description
Enda Kenny – After the Interval
CD review by Tony Smith – TN2559-88 – $30
TN163 June 24
This 2023/24 album by Enda Kenny has to be his best.
Comprised of a generous 16 tracks, the CD runs for over an hour, but listeners will find the time slips by unnoticed, so pleasurable are all the songs.
As well as the Kenny compositions, there are songs by Martin Donnelly (‘My Father’s Coat’), Pete Morton (‘The Two Brothers’), Mickey McConnell (‘Supermarket Wine’) , Kieran Halpin (’Azaleas’ and ‘Streets of Everywhere’), Katherine Fear (‘Look Out for the Bees’) and the Scott Cook/ Kenny song (‘Visitors’).
These are riches indeed, all quality songs and all professionally presented.
Kenny wrote ‘The Dawning’, ‘Alarm Bells’, ‘Alesund, Sunday Morning’, ‘Bello’ Brave Baristas’, ‘Day After Blues’, ‘The Ghost of the Albert’, ‘Hear the Lyrebird’, ‘The Happy Pear’ and ‘All the Ones’.
Although there is a deal of nostalgia behind some tracks, Kenny’s songs are never overwhelmed by sadness, let alone mawkish or maudlin.
They tell the stories of old haunts and departed friends in the straight story-telling style we have come to expect of this Irish-Australian minstrel.
Kenny’s vocal style is faultless.
Knowing that his task is to tell the stories, he has clear diction, stays within his vocal range and fits the lyrics neatly to tempo and rhythm.
If anyone has need of the lyrics, they are available in a 30 page ‘lyric book’ at www.endakennymusic.com.
There is plenty of variety in these 16 tracks.
Dave O’Neill’s mandolin and Kate Crowley’s vocal harmonies are always presented in ideal arrangements to enhance each song unobtrusively.
While the overall balance is a feature, I always enjoyed when Kenny emphasised the story-teller’s natural minor keys as in ‘Alesund’ the tale of the ‘herring wife’.
A very up-to-date theme is found in Pete Morton’s ‘The Two Brothers’.
We hear the perennial parental intervention ‘I don’t care who started it’ but soon learn that the advice applies to the situation between Palestine and Israel.
Kenny mixed the tracks with Mark Woods, and Tracey Roberts ensured that the album sleeve is a work of art.
Vocalist Kenny on Sobell and Lowden guitars is supported throughout by Dave O’Neill (Davey Stuart guitar and Peter Coombe mandolin) and Kate Crowley (backing vocals), and by Jeanette Gillespie and Duncan Brown (vocals on ‘Alesund, Sunday Morning’ and ‘Bello’ Brave Baristas’, an a capella track for variety which tells of ex-surfers who run a cafe but ‘will go to sea no more’.
McConnell’s ‘Supermarket Wine’ is perhaps the most humorous track.
Here is a confession that ‘we sank Danny Boy in Galway Bay at least eighty seven times’.
Desperate buskers indeed!
Kenny follows with a witty ‘Morning After (Paddy’s Day) Blues’ which features some stylish guitar riffs.
Always there is the balance between Kenny’s Irish roots, his place in the diaspora and his obvious affinity with his adopted Australia, particularly the natural areas and the Indigenous heritage.
‘Hear the Lyrebird’ for example has excellent finger picking guitar and some strong lyrics: ‘Where the old Cathedral rises from the valley down below’.
These songs have a couple of strong themes.
One is relationships.
Enda Kenny thanks Iris Curran for love and support, and his appreciation of the writers’ whose work he uses is obvious.
Clearly, Kenny is a loyal friend and that loyalty is repaid by musicians and writers here and overseas.
Particularly poignant are the two songs by the late Kieran Halpin.
‘After the Interval’ is an album to warm your heart and one that all musicians will want to own.
Ed. Enda Kenny currently has five albums for sale on the Trad&Now website, three of which have been uploaded to Trad&Now Live! and can be heard there from time to time.
My new album, ‘After The Interval’ is out now!
Enda Kenny is keen for Trad&Now readers to know that his new album is out now.
Enda is an Irish-born songwriter who has made his home in Australia.
Through ten independent albums, his thoughtful, descriptive stories have struck a chord with festival audiences worldwide.
A string of early songwriting awards have led to a full time career as one of the best entertainers in the world of folk and acoustic music.
His songs are always memorable, often hard-hitting and spiced with plenty of humour.
Now residing near Mount Beauty in the Victorian Alps, Enda is touring extensively throughout Australia and is a regular visitor to New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Holland and Germany.
Enda is the latest Artist of The Year at Newstead Live Music Festival.
‘After the Interval” has 16 tracks including 10 new original songs and features Dave O’Neill on strings and Kate Crowley on backing vocals.
It is available from the Trad&Now shop as well as from Enda’s Website.
The Lyric book for After the Interval is free to download from the LYRICS page on his website.
The Melbourne launch of the new album will be at Lowie Live (The Lomond Hotel) on Sunday, April 21.
Pre-bookings are recommended and the trybooking link is https://www.trybooking.com/CQDNU .
The album was made in Victoria, recorded in Carisbrook and produced by MAD CD’s in Benalla.
Well known Irsih performer currently touring Australia, Eleanor McEvoy said: “On small stages to intimate audiences or large stages to festival audiences, he always holds the crowd in the palm of his hand.
“Witty and intelligent songwriting and a brilliant night’s entertainment”
Colum Sands added: “Enda is the finest Irish songwriter living overseas”.
Roy Bailey said: “Enda Kenny is one of the new generation of singers and songwriters in Australia who is attracting international attention.
“He writes of the world in Australia, of his personal journey, of his desire for peace and the conservation of our environment.
“His songs are gentle as well as hard hitting when he tackles difficult subjects.
“He commands our respect.
“As a singer who depends on writers, I am delighted to have discovered his work.
“If you get a chance, go and listen to him, for above all, you will have a stimulating and enjoyable evening’s entertainment.”
Enda has won many awards and he has received many recognitions.
He was twice winner of the Lawson-Paterson Port Fairy Folk Festival Songwriting Award with Rainbow’s Friend in 1989 and Rabin in 1996.
Enda won the Roddy Read Songwriting Award at the Maldon Folk Festival with My Own Road.
While in the UK, Enda received the Redcar Festival Songwriting Award in 1995 with Baker’s Dozen.
Enda was a finalist in the National Folk Festival Songwriting Award, the Declan Affley Award in 1993 with Colours of Australia.
Enda also won the Album of the Year Award from the Australian Folk Alliance.
It is the Presenter’s Choice Award for Here & There in 2008.
He also received the Best Workshop on an Australian Theme at the National Folk Festival from ABC Radio National for The Pearling in 1992.
Enda has released many albums over the years, five of which are available from the Trad&Now Website.
Three of those albums have so far been uploaded to Trad&Now Live! and can be heard there from time to time.
