Media Quotes and Reviews
Adolf "gorhand" Goriup
TONY O'LEARY
The Mysteries of Life
Self Published, 2012
Singer / songwriter Tony O'Leary (vocals, accordion, guitar, mandola) lives in Newfoundland and connects with the Irish folk music of his homeland. For his third album, he has jointly taken with him a number of excellent guest musicians on violin, cello, piano, guitar, bass, drums and percussion 14 Songs and Tunes. Seven original songs, a cover version, three traditional songs and three instrumental pieces. O'Leary writes folk songs, ballads, but also Rock'n'Roll and Blues songs. My favorite is the folky "The long Range Mountains Beckon Me", in which Heather Kao starts sounding the virtuoso fiddle and vocals by O'Leary is powered by a great pace. "I Got a Lot a Girlfriend's" is a blues rock guitar solo by Glen Collins and "This Old Town" is an arranged orchestral piano ballad. Traditional songs from Ireland are a somewhat colorless version of "The Lark in The Morning" to hear. However Tommy Sands' "The Boy's Come Rolling Home" is impressive with a great combination of fiddle and accordion. My absolute favorites are the "Drunken Sailor Hornpipe", intoxicating rhythm guitar and great playing on the accordion, a simple and effective arrangement, and the up-beat set of "The Orphan / Cuttin Boughs" (Trad. / O'Leary). For my taste was packed in here too much, the arrangements often leave no room for creative play and will sound all pretty mainstream. The three instrumentals are the exception.