Without the Fanfare

by Mary Black

Overview

Without the Fanfare finds Mary Black moving firmly into a folk-rock mode, sliding just a bit too smoothly through a program that could have been designed for Richard & Linda Thompson or maybe Clive Gregson & Christine Collister. The sound is consistently low-key and shimmery, with oh-so-tasteful synthesizers flowing silkily under trebly guitars and gently percolating percussion. As long as things remain on that more or less even keel, the results are fairly attractive, but when Black and the band try for a funky island rhythm on "Nightime," the results are downright silly. Things start to look up with the album's one traditional song, a sweet and spare arrangement of the old chestnut "The Water Is Wide" on which the drums are muted and the guitar is acoustic, and texture is provided by a subdued concertina (probably actually a synthesizer, best not to think about that) and the focus is all on Black's glorious voice. But then we're back in MOR country again and stay there for the duration (though "As I Leave Behind Neidin" offers a brief bright spot on the way out). The problem with this album isn't really its slickness; the problem is that Black sounds like she's coasting. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/1994
Label:	Gift Horse Recordings
UPC:	0739341000522
Rank:	138111

Tracks

1. There's a Train That Leaves Tonight
2. State of Heart
3. Nightime
4. The Crow on the Cradle
5. Greatest Dream
6. The Water Is Wide
7. Ellis Island
8. Strange Thing
9. Without the Fanfare
10. As I Leave Behind N¿¿id¿¿n
11. Diamond Days
12. Going Gone

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mary Black   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Noel Bridgeman   Percussion,Drums,Accordion
Carl Geraghty   Sax (Alto)
Eoghan O'Neill   Bass
Declan Sinnott   Bass,Guitar,Synthesizer,Drum Machine,Vocal Harmony
Brian Calnan   Percussion
Pat Crowley   Keyboards
Donal Lunny   Bouzouki
Philip Begley   Synthesizer

Technical Credits

Philip Begley   Assistant Producer,Engineer
Mick Hanly   Composer
Jim McCarthy   Composer
Declan Sinnott   Composer,Producer
Noel Brazil   Composer
Dale, Koller Alger   Composer
Colm Henry   Photography
T. Henderson   Composer
Tony Henderson   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Sydney Bertram   Composer
Bill Dale   Composer
Jimmy MacCarthy   Composer
Pat Alger   Composer
Fred Koller   Composer
Donagh Long   Composer,Engineer