New Releases on Compass Records
John Doyle – Shadow and Light
Shadow and Light, John Doyle’s first solo album in six years, pays tribute to Irish musical tradition while forging a path of its own on a set of largely original songs characterized by Doyle’s rhythmic and harmonic genius. Standout tracks include “The Curraghman,” an instrumental that captures Doyle’s unique style, and “Clear the Way” is a beautiful example of Doyle’s talent as a songwriter. His signature left-hand finger picking style – a style that informed the sound of the first Irish-American super-group Solas – earned Doyle a GRAMMY nomination for his collaboration with fiddler Liz Carroll in 2010.
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Bearfoot – American Story
American Story is an album that pays homage to old-timey string bands but not without youthful abandon and pop undertones. For fans of the Wailin’ Jennys and Dixie Chicks, it is historical and autobiographical and it is profoundly fun – showcasing the new incarnation of the group with singers Nora Jane Struthers and Todd Grebe at the helm. Founding members Angela Oudean (fiddle) and Jason Norris (mandolin) added a new multi-talented rhythm player, the bassist-drummer (and sometimes banjo-picking) PJ George.