Shaking Out The Sheets: Dirty Linen Classics.

From Dirty Linen #53 August/September 1994

by Steve Winick

Sweeney's Men
Time Was Never Here 1968-69
Transatlantic/Demon TDEMCD 11

The Johnstons
The Transatlantic Years
Transatlantic/Demon TDEMCD 13

The Hennessys
Y Caneuon Cynnar (The Early Songs)
Sain SCD 2044

1968 and 1969 were certainly crucial years for the development of what we now call "Celtic Music." After the influences of the Clancy Brothers and of Sean O Riada's Chieftains had been digested by the young generation of up-and-coming musicians in Ireland, and the influence of the English folk-club scene had likewise been felt, a new breed of group emerged that began to blend sensitive singing, basic accompaniment and even arranged instrumental passages in a totally new way. Among the first of these groups to make recordings were The Johnstons, Sweeney's Men and The Hennessys, all regulars on the Dublin folk-club circuit in 1968, the year they all released their debut recordings. All of them now have compilations of early material available for the first time on CD, and all the discs are recommended for fans with an interest in the Irish (and Celtic) folk revival's history.

Sweeney's Men, usually remembered as the great Irish folk group of the 1960s, consisted on its recordings of Andy Irvine (later of Planxty and Patrick Street), Johnny Moynihan (later of Planxty and De Danann) and Terry Woods (later of Steeleye Span and the Pogues). Transatlantic/Demon's new compilation, Time Was Never Here 1968-1969, features almost all of the music from the Sweeney's two LPs, Sweeney's Men 1968 and The Tracks of Sweeney (1969). It supersedes 1988's The Legend of Sweeney's Men, Demon's LP compilation, by supplying five more tracks. If you're a completist, you'll need to know that it does not contain all the tracks from the earlier compilation; it omits "Dicey Riley" and "The Exile's Jig." On the other hand, it adds "The Handsome Cabin Boy," "Standing on the Shore," "Hiram Hubbard," "The House Carpenter," "Dance to your Daddy," "Reynard the Fox," and "Pretty Polly."

This album echoes with historic moments. You'll hear, among other firsts, the first time that most beloved of Greek imports, the bouzouki, was used in Irish music. It was Moynihan who started that trend. There's also the first time "Willy O' Winsbury" was sung to its now-familiar tune, as popularized by Ann Briggs, Pentangle, and other singers. It seems that Irvine erred when cross-referencing a ballad collection with its tune index, and connected the wrong tune to these words. Still, it's a fabulous combination, and Irvine's sweet voice never sounded better than it does on this simple solo track. You'll also hear Henry McCullogh's influences, because the Grease Band and Eire Apparent leader had been in Sweeney's men in between the two albums, giving birth, some critics say, to folk-rock as we know it. Still, this disc isn't a history lesson, but a vibrant recording of contemporary Irish folk. Listened to as such, it has many pleasures to offer. Woods's banjo and singing sound remarkably Appalachian, while Irivine's guitar, mandolin and harmonica and Moynihan's bouzouki and whistle clearly foreshadow the Planxty/De Danann style of playing that was yet to develop. The traditional material holds up better over time than the Sweeney's originals, (heck, they were already a century old in 1968, so how's a few more years going to matter?) but most of the goods are wonderfully played, if quirkily sung, and still quite fresh. Another bonus here is the sleeve notes, which contain gobs of information taken from interviews with band members and friends. It adds up to a rare and wonderful glimpse at a remarkable band and a remarkable moment in history, and an absolute must for serious Irish music fans.

The Johnstons were another of Dublin's important folk acts of the era. Originally formed by Luci, Adrienne and Michael Johnston of county Meath, they later added Mick Moloney and Paul Brady. This group, like Sweeney's Men, housed important musicians early in their careers. Brady went on to join Planxty and eventually to be a pop star in Ireland, while Moloney came to America to earn a Ph.D. and to form such groups as The Green Fields of America and Moloney, O'Connell and Keane. However, The Johnstons are not considered quite as seminal as Sweeney's Men for a few reasons. First of all, the historic "firsts" of which Sweeney can boast, the bouzouki and the electric folk phase between their albums, have no real analogues in the work of the Johnstons. Second, the Johnstons recorded, in addition to great albums of traditional material, a few historically inconsequential albums of pop songs drowning in the strings of nameless arrangers. This does affect the potential CD buyer. On the sampler The Transatalantic Years, some of the tracks are solid traditional material showcasing the Johnstons' four great voices, Moloney's mandolin and banjo and Brady's trendsetting guitar work. Others are tight but unexciting renditions of Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot and Leonard Cohen songs. There are also three original Johnstons songs, composed by Brady and producer Chris McCloud, which are quite good. Still, the most compelling things on the album by far are the traditional songs, and I wouldn't blame anyone for programming their CD Player to skip "Both Sides Now" or "Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye." Among the material not to be missed is Adrienne's particularly moving version of "The Flower of Northumberland," an old Scots border ballad. "The Coleraine Regatta" is another magnificent track, teaming Brady's sharp voice up with Moloney's very accurate banjo. Two Gaelic songs, "Fhir A' Bhata" and "Fuigfidh Mise 'N Baile Seo," add depth to the group's commitment to Irish material, and the single instrumental, "O'Carolan's Concerto," hints at the capabilities of Moloney and Brady, which were just beginning to be explored. In all, it's very much worth having, but Irish folk fans may end up wishing for less of the mainstream material, a few more sets of tunes, and another ballad or two, particularly given the fact that there's a lot more of the Johnstons' traditional tracks awaiting CD release.

The Hennesys were great friends of the Johnstons back in 1968, having moved from their native Cardiff to Dublin to capitalize on the folk boom. Once there, they were encouraged by many friends to make themselves more overtly Welsh, in order to differentiate themselves from the run-of-the-mill ballad groups that abounded in Dublin that year. They enlisted the aid of Meredydd Evans, one of Wales's best-known authorities on folksong, and began including Welsh language material into their live shows and their recordings. Y Caneuon Cynnar reflects both their English and Welsh sides, containing thirteen tracks in English and seven in Welsh. Although tracks are gleaned from five different recordings, spanning their first five years (from the group's debut EP in 1968 to their 1974 album), the bulk of the material comes from the 1969 recording The Road and the Miles, originally released on the Cambrian label. The material from this release is strong, including Irish folk standards like "The Little Beggarman" and "Whiskey in the Jar" and one Welsh traditional song, "Moliannwn." In addition, The Road and The Miles featured several songs written in English and translated into Welsh, including a version of "This Land is Your Land." Finally, some Frank Hennessy originals appear, including a very charming and humorous song called "The Gypsy" that deserves more notice than it's gotten. This album alone would have been worth having, but the supplementary tracks on the CD make it an even better purchase. Three Welsh traditional songs, two Hennessy originals, one well-known English folksong and one--only one--cutesy, touristy number, have been selected from EPs and albums. Among these songs, Hennessy's own "Farewell to the Rhondda" stands out as a fine addition to the wealth of British miner's songs. I should mention that the Hennessy's playing was less impressive than either the Johnstons or Sweeney's men back in the 60s, but that's less evident now that all three albums sound a bit dated. What the listener will notice most of all is a group with the bright and upbeat sound of the best Dublin ballad groups of the era and the added appeal of some unusual material in Welsh and English.

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