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Karan Casey is an artist who proves that the ancient and the modern make excellent bedfellows. One of the most influential and imitated vocalists in Irish or American folk music, Karan is a natural innovator. On Ships in the Forest, her fifth solo album, Casey's warm, soulful voice ebbs and flows around ballads both timely and timeless.
Produced once again by Donald Shaw (of Capercaillie fame), the album was recorded at Karan's home in County Cork and features the members of her current touring band, Caoimhín Vallely (piano), Kate Ellis (cello) and Robbie Overson (guitar) along with some special guests, including Kris Drever and Niall and Cillian Vallely.
The songs found on Ships in the Forest range from fresh arrangements of tried and true folk standards ("Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye") to "The Fiddle and the Drum", Joni Mitchell's 1969 anti-war madrigal and Martin Furey’s newly-composed "The Town of Athlone".
Karan says of the album: "I feel that this is by far my most ambitious album to date. I think it has taken me all my years as a singer to come to the point of feeling confident enough to tackle the big songs within the traditional repertoire."
Track listing:
1. Love Is Pleasing
2. Dunlavin Green
3. Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye
4. Black Is The Colour
5. Town Of Athlone
6. Maidin Luan Chincise
7. The Fiddle And The Drum
8. Erin's Lovely Home
9. Ae Fond Kiss
10. I Once Loved A Lass
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