by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Ken O'Malley
Album: "OMaille"
Year produced: 2007

"OMaille" starts out strong with a song titled "City Of Chicago" and then leads one through a varied bunch of tunes. This Dublin-born singer's voice is very commanding, but can also be tender and gentle when the tune calls for it. The sound of his singing is a little different than most Celtic artists and it makes for a unique sound; sincere and powerful, all at the same time.

O'Malley comes from a musical family--his father was a band leader and mother played the violin. He is a self-taught guitar and mandolin player; and he had a good teacher because his sound is wonderful.

O'Malley delivers a bit of the expected fare, and tracks such as, "I'm A Rover" tread familiar territory, but are still a fun romp. But the CD also serves up a decent dose of the unexpected; especially the sound of O'Malley's voice. My personal favorite was the last track, "Homes of Donegal," which let the CD finish off with a yearning sound that fills the soul. Delightful.

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Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among other magazines, and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her website at www.catherineltully.com.

Labels: cd_review_2008

Posted by Marc Gunn, Tuesday, June 10, 2008.
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