Just got her new CD, and I must say, the lady just keeps getting better! Having started out as a sort of Sandy Denny sound-alike, Niamh Parsons has really come into her own. Produced by long-time Martin Hayes partner Dennis Cahill, this album keeps accompaniments to a tasteful minimum, showcasing the singer's beautiful voice and wonderfully detailed, sean nos-style ornamentation.
The material ranges from well-known trad songs such as "Brokenhearted I'll Wander" of Dolores Keane fame and "My Lagan Love" to Bill Caddick's "Syracuse" and Andy Irvine's "West Coast of Clare", with the real eye-opener being a wrenching anti-war ballad by, of all people, Mark Knopfler, called "Done with Bonaparte".
For good measure, a couple of blazing instrumental guitar duos between Cahill and Graham Dunne are thrown into the mix. This is a GREAT album. Highly recommended!