THE MARY CONNOLLY BAND: Blue Desire

The Mary Connolly Band

Blue Desire

© 1999 Natural Thang Music (660355286728)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

Old-fashioned SOUL! A hip-shakin' grooving roots-rock blend of folk, soul and blues. A great CD!

tracks

1 Right Along the Way
2 Another Day Goes By
3 Thin Blue Veil
4 Rosalie
5 Heavy Makes You Happy
6 Slackass
7 Seen Better Days
8 When It Gets This Cold
9 Everyday
10 Bye Bye Baby

notes

"Those demons inside will steal the love right out of you" - from Seen Better Days That intensity flows through every song - it burns in the beauty of Mary's voice and it rests in a musical tradition that draws on the power of the soul.

The songs speak of a world out of control and a person's struggle to maintain balance and sanity within the chaos.

"Sheryl Crow & Joan Osborne meet Counting Crows & Hootie and the Blow Fish" - comments from a fan.

Drawing on such diverse influences as Etta James, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, to Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow & Lucinda Williams, Mary Connolly adds her own unique flare to create a powerful and rollicking musical experience.

Mary has appeared and recorded with many well known New York metro-area bands including "Standpipe", "The Thrill Cycle", "Chlorophyll", "The Waterstreet Blues Band", "Tony Noe & the Others", "Eddie Skuller Band ","The Bill Foley Thing", "Fortune" and "Flash"

She's played a range of venues from the tackiest wedding hall to The Mercury Lounge.

Mary Connolly began her solo career performing blues and soul classics with her band "Blue Desire" and became a part of New York's Irish bar circuit, playing gigs that include Flannery's Bar, O'Flanagan's Bar & The Baggot Inn in New York City, as well as Henessey's in Hoboken, N.J.

reviews

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  • author: CD Baby

    Great old-fashioned soul music. Like old Supremes or Staples singers.

  • Gospel-Soul Thang Going On Here!
    author: Blues Access Magazine

    Ms. Connolly has the gospel-soul thang going on here...and a really pretty voice.

  • Powerful, Joyous Voice and Great Originals
    author: Blues Revue

    Mary Connolly expertly stirs a rich blend of blues and soul on Blue Desire, and the glistening production really cuts her songs loose. Connolly bounces between Aretha-esque soul grooves, straight-up blues and cool funk; this New York veteran has a powerful, joyous voice and great originals. Best cut: "Thin Blue Veil", an easygoing East Coast roots rocker from the John Mellencamp school.

  • More Than Just A Woman and Her Band
    author: Songwriter's Monthly

    Blues that favors pop over R&B. Mary's got a definite combo sound that is more than just a woman and her band. She is comfortable in varying shades and offers music that is easily accessible.

  • When She's Hot, She Really Rocks
    author: O's Place Jazz Newsletter

    This is bluesy rock 'n roll from New York City vocalist Mary Connolly. When she's hot, she really rocks, like on "Slackass" and "Another Day Goes By".

  • Connolly Wails and Her Band Grooves
    author: Aiding & Abetting

    Whipping out a classic rock n' soul sound, Mary Connolly wails and her band grooves. A very basic sound, but one that works quite well with her voice and sides. The songs work best when the band stays in the pocket, focusing soley on the groove,letting Connolly take the asides. And she doesn't stray that often, either. The sound is loose enough to let the soul shine in, but tight enough to keep the package wrapped up nicely. Connolly doesn't really try to head off in any new directions, but rather seems to prefer sticking to the tried and true. And she sings that exceptionally well. These songs are expertly crafted and lovingly performed. There's always room for heartfelt music played with style.

  • "Simply put, The Mary Connolly Band is the whole package"
    author: Musician's Trade Journal

    Hailing form NYC, The Mary Connolly Band is back at it, this time with 'Blue Desire', a ten-song CD featuring superb musicianship, some strong songs and above all, Mary Connolly's distinct and powerful vocals. An extremely hard working artist, I've had the pleasure of following Connolly's career over the past few years and am impressed not only by the obvious talent, but the motivations that drives this artist. It's no wonder The Mary Connolly Band is gigging all the time! Connolly puts a lot of heart into her music, both in her performance and her writing. As a result, she consistently delivers top rate CDs. Of the songs on 'Blue Desire', favorites include 'Right Along the Way', 'Rosalie' and 'Bye Bye Baby'. Simply put, The Mary Connolly Band is the whole package. --B. Dare

  • The 'Desirable' Mary Connolly Band
    author: Irish Voice

    One local band also fond of the blue note you'll want to investigate is The Mary Connolly Band. Their latest CD, BLUE DESIRE, is a warm collection of rock, mostly penned by Ms. Connolly. Standouts include "Right Along the Way", with its Stax/Volt- inspired horn parts, and the Hammond B3-propelled "Bye Bye Baby". "Seen Better Days", with its lovely violin part, aptly underscores the song's bittersweet nature. Conversely, "Everyday", with its Junior Wells-style harp, is straight forward and punchy. And it's clear from the hefty chunk of "Thin Blue Veil" that guitarist Mark McCarron has studied at the Keith Richards school of ronka-ronka rhythm guitar. Ms. Connolly is possessed with a clear, fine voice and you should keep your eye out for bigger things from this outfit. A fine effort. -- Tom Dunphy

  • "Searing soul-blues vocal style & one tight rock-country-R&B Band"
    author: Listen.com

    "Mary Connolly has a searing soul-blues vocal style and one tight rock-country-R&B band. A real mix of retro and current femme styles. Think of Etta James performing Joan Osborne's material." --Nick Dedina

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