[FM] review of the Michael DeAngelis CD "son of a dunigan"

[John Q Public]

Below is my review of the Michael DeAngelis CD "son of a dunigan."

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http://www.icogitate.com/~celticfolkmusic/cr-MichaelDeAngelis.htm

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"son of a dunigan"
by Michael DeAngelis

copyright 2005
P.O. Box 294
Del Mar, NY 12094
<http://www.mdeangelis.com>http://www.mdeangelis.com
<http://www.seantyrrell.com>
This review is written by Kevin McCarthy, 1/05
"Kevin's Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews"
http://www.icogitate.com/~celticfolkmusic/index.html

One of the members of the New York band "Hair of the Dog," Michael 
DeAngelis has just branched out and released his first solo effort. It is 
an amalgam of celtic and folk covering a myriad of subjects: emigration, 
family, fleeing from demons, chasing perceived rainbows--all filtered 
through the prism of relationships.

DeAngelis made one very grand decision--to include Richard Thompson's 
sublime "From Galway To Graceland." A quiet song but one that succintly 
captures the descent into madness and obsession, "FGTG" easily ranks as one 
of Thompson's best.

DeAngelis' own best offerings are "Almost Home" and "Boundaries."

With emotion-laden fiddle backing, "Almost Home" is a touching tale of 
return and self-realization. The lead figure in the song comes to accept 
that he needs to become a better person before he'll be up to the task at 
binding a relationship.

Applicable to Ireland but certainly elsewhere too, "Boundaries," details 
the price of war, subjugation and resistance. DeAngelis opens with:

"O'r the green mountains and o'r the green valleys
I've walked through this country and felt me an age
A people so strong they resist for so long
The boundaries that hold them..."

Pub comraderie is depicted in "Bartender Billy." Springing from a 
conversation in a pub, in "Rich Man's Family," DeAngeles expresses the 
value of family.

"Donegal" has an Irish emigrant pining to return. DeAngelis sings:

"...Sometimes he lies there dreamin' in the night
He'll get a job of extra work, save the money for the flight
Ah, but lonely dreams in darkness disappear before the dawn
Familiar faces fade away, all the dreams are gone"

"Baltimore" has a beau stranded in Killarney, separated from his love back 
in Baltimore. Now if only she was in Baltimore, County Cork.

The brokenhearted lead in "Lost In Cork" finds love anew fueling a fresh start

This is generally a quiet contemplative release. DeAngelis' voice is 
pleasant and he does an excellent job of twining the lyrics with excellent 
instrumental backing.
DeAngelis, on vocals and acoustic guitar, is backed by Eric Finn on 
electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin; Ed Tourge on bass; Peter 
Booras on drums; Chris "Bullets" Leske on mandolin; Sara Milonovich on 
fiddle and whistle; Imran Abbasi on bass; Teresa Burns on harmony vocals; 
Steve Candlen on brushes; Adrian Cohen on piano; Chuck D'Aloia on gut 
string guitar; Gib Drater on acoustic guitar, string arrangements, 
tambourine and shakers; Mindy Jostyn on accordion and fiddle; Steve Butler 
on bodhran.

Track List
    * Angel From Antrim - Michael DeAngelis
    * Bartender Billy - Michael DeAngelis
    * Donegal - Kevin McKrell
    * Baltimore - Michael DeAngelis
    * Lost In Cork - Michael DeAngelis
    * Still The Dragon - Michael DeAngelis
    * Spanish Gold - Ace Parkhurst & Chuck D'Aloia
    * Rich Man's Family - Michael DeAngelis
    * From Galway To Graceland - Richard Thompson
    * Nobody Knows - Michael DeAngelis
    * Boundaries - Jon Anderson
    * Almost Home - Michael DeAngelis