BRENDAN NOLAN: Where Do I Go From Here

Brendan Nolan

Where Do I Go From Here

© 2003 Ould Segosha

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A dynamic, mostly original album of Celtic and acoustic oriented songs with a little touch of Appalachian and bluegrass stylings stealing into the mix.

tracks

1 Connemara Morn
2 Where Do I Go From Here
3 Cabin Fever
4 Old Ned
5 A Song of Old Ireland
6 The Bodhran Song
7 Murdoch McRaw
8 Here I Am From Donegal
9 The Battle of Clontarf / Brian Boru's March
10 Hawg Dawg
11 The Old Year
12 The Hills of Old Vermont

notes

"Nolan has used his broad knowledge of traditional Irish songs, as well as other kinds of music, to develop into a very fine songwriter whose work is steeped in the traditions that he has mastered"............ Sing Out!

'WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE' marks a bit of a departure for Brendan Nolan from his previous albums. Half of the album was recorded and produced in Montreal by David Gossage. The rest of the songs were recorded in Tampa, Florida near where Brendan now lives.
"There were certain songs that I felt better recording in Montreal and that Dave Gossage could bring to life with his gift for arrangement. Other ones like 'Cabin Fever' and 'Hawg Dawg' are more about where I live and influenced by the music I've heard down south. I felt more comfortable recording them there."

The CD is mostly a showcase of original work. The lyrics of the opening track 'CONNEMARA MORN' were written by Tom Kelly and the music by Brendan. It is a gentle love song with a beautiful arrangement by David Gossage. It almost makes you feel you are among the old stone walls and wild coastline of Connemara.
The CD then abruptly changes pace with the title track 'WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE' It is a driving song about the loss of freedom through incarceration for a crime the subject is innocent of. Having been suddenly set free they ask, "where do I go from here." It is a song influenced by the case of the Birmingham Six and all those who are wrongly convicted.
The album changes pace again with 'CABIN FEVER' . This is a bluegrass-influenced song and although it is about driving the highways and by-ways of Florida, it has that universal feeling of just wanting to get away from it all for a while.
'OLD NED' is the sad tale of one of the last horse-drawn milk-carts in Dublin. It is told from the driver's point of view as he goes out on his last rounds with his horse Old Ned before the inevitable changeover to motorized vehicles. This song shows Nolan's eye for detail as he has shown in the past with his famine song about the Canadian island of Grosse Isle. The driver would love keep Old Ned "but the yard of a council house is no place for a horse to roam".
On the lighter side Brendan does a cover of Brian O'Rourke's 'THE BODHRAN SONG'. This is the tongue-in-cheek story about the goat who wanted to become an Irish drum. It is sung with just a bodhran accompaniment. 'HAWG DAWG' tells the real-life story of a dog that Brendan and his wife rescued on highway 95 near Brunswick, Georgia after it was nearly run over by a tractor-trailer. It was a dog that had been used for hunting wild pigs, hence the name. They took it to the fire station in Brunswick and the tale has a happy ending!
Nolan's version of the 'BATTLE OF CLONTARF/BRIAN BORU'S MARCH brings the ancient fight between the Irish and the Norsemen to life again in Dave Gossage's arrangement and Gerry O'Neill's fiddle playing of Brian Boru's March. The sadness at the loss of Brian Boru and his son and grandson tempers the military victory the Irish had on Good Friday in the year 1014. 'A SONG OF OLD IRELAND' is another collaboration with the writer Holmes Hooke of County Armagh. Brendan had previously put music to one of Holmes poems. In this story the writer speaks of various Irish people that he has encountered during his years away from Ireland. Each one has their own unique story to tell about how they came to leave their native country.
There are other gems on this CD. Originals like 'MURDOCH McRAW' and 'THE HILLS OF OLD VERMONT' to the traditional 'HERE I AM FROM DONEGAL'. It is a pleasing and an eclectic mix that will not disappoint.

reviews

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  • This man is a true voice in the tradition
    author: Irish Ways Radio Programme

    Brendan has a voice that is so true to the tradition of Irish music. He carries the sound, like many of the Heroes of our Culture so easily and will be a Singer that so many will aspire to when they find his music.

  • Good CD. Solid musicianship, great writing, excellent vocals. Good on you, boy!
    author: Tom Schultz

    Like many others, I bought the CD just to get the bodhran song -- I was delighted to find the rest of the CD just as enjoyable. I was particularly fond of Brendan's rendition of Here I am from Donegal; quite different from , say, Len Graham, but just as emotive. I've never met Brendan (yet) but this album makes me feel like we've just been sitting down at the pub trading songs and stories. As they say in the West of Ireland, GOOD SHTUFF!

  • as close to the Harp as I can get...
    author: carol

    This disc is amazing, I loved listening to Brendan's original work as much as the traditionals when I saw him live, and this is closer to that "live set" feeling than I had hoped. Great work, Brendan!

  • I wanted the Bodhran song and it is great.
    author: chuck butler

    I was hopeing to get the words to the Bodhran Song ,But they are so small I can't read them. Now I have to find them some place else. Thanks any way. Chuck

  • Fabulous!
    author: Kathy

    This CD is terrific! The arrangements are wonderful - especially The Battle of Clontarf/Brian Boru. A few standards, and lots of fun stuff...The Bodhran Song is too funny! Highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves Celtic music!

  • Better every time I listen to it.
    author: Jill Strunk

    When I first listened to this CD, I marked three songs that I really liked; Then I listened to it again and realized I'd missed marking a couple more really good ones. The third time through I realized I like every song. I play it several times a day and never get tired of it.

  • My favorite Brendan Nolan CD
    author: Dan Raffensperger

    A friend of mine introduced me to this fellow's music recently, and I decided to take the plunge. Of the three I bought,This is my favorite. Brendan never disappoints, but this is a pure joy to listen to. Highly recommended!

  • Really like the song Connemara Morn
    author: Catherine Earp

    This CD is very melodic and mood setting. The song Connemara Morn is really off the charts. I can picture myself in Ireland and feel the relationships of old friends past. Well done...this will definitely make me interested in future albums

  • He is the best at what he does !
    author: Nancy Newell Kline

    Got the latest from this artist to give as Christmas gifts, so haven't listened yet. However, I have all his other CDs and see him whenever I can. He is talented, warm, and willing to share with fans. Can't wait to hear this CD, after my spouse unwraps it Christmas morning.

  • This latest CD of Brendan Nolan's is a wonderful showcase of his talents.
    author: Mike & Laura Flynn

    This latest CD of Brendan Nolan's is a wonderful showcase of his talents. He has a strong and lovely voice. He plays the guitar, the bodhran, and the 5 string banjo. The original music he has included flows together with the traditional music he has so painstakingly researched. Cabin Fever and Hawg Dawg should be playing on every country station in the United States. The Old Year, the Hills of Old Vermont, and Old Ned will tug at your heart. Want to feel proud of your Irish heritage? Listen to The Battle of Clontarf/Brian Boru's March and Here I am From Donegal. We also have all of Brendan's CD's. This one certainly tops them all. We highly recommend this CD.

  • Pure magic! Fine voice, great interpretations,great mix of songs!
    author: Chuck Petersen

    The mix of material is wonderful and sung with true feeling, whether sad, funny, reflective or historical. Knowing the majority of the songs are original or collaborations puts focus on Brendan's talent as a writer and the diversity of his music. The album has enough Irish oriented music to fall into the Irish category but it's really a showcase for a wonderfully talented acoustic musician who can cross barriers and be comfortable with the material he chooses. Songs don't get much better than "Old Ned" or "Connemara Morn". This is a most listenable album. I've loved all his prior albums but he's topped himself with this one. You'll replay this one many times.

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