Reviews
Artist:Ciran Ryan Band Album: Occupational Hazards
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 9
Website: https://www.ciaranryanmusic.com/
Following Ciaran Ryan's excellent 2019 BANJAXED album that blended Irish Trad with Bluegrass and Country, OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS continues the mixing with Ryan's touring band bringing a muscular Rock back line to the sound.
"Occupational Hazards" the opening title set pairs Ciaran's nimble banjo with electric guitat, Donald Hay's drums and Bevan Morris' huge sounding bass. With three tunes our interest is maintained by Chris Waite's rythmn guitar strums and Andrew Waite's soulful hammond organ. Those retro organ swells and Waite's accordion feature on "Wild Card" with incredibly tight playing from Ciaran and Andrew before the very Rock Moog kicks in. "The Shepherd" mixes reflective and furious, with a thoughtful intro to the uptempo tune, again with some almost telepathic playing. There's very Peatbog Faeries dub section n to the tunes too. "Feckno" has some of the lightness of Ryan's earlier album but the banjo and accordion are underpinned by Bevan's bass and Donald Hay's precise and powerful drumming. Through this longer set the music shifts through the more textured second tune and the very ambient rock final piece. "State Of The Art" is definitely one for the feet with pulsing banjo, accordion and percussion. Like "Feckno" "Domesticated" starts light but takes off into electric guitar banjo duet full of that 70s Jethro Tull Heavy Rock Folk grit and grind. The muscular playing continues on "Brechin Bad" with huge drums and some post rock textures building to a kind of Giorgio Moroder electronic fury. "Barbara's" keeps the surprises coming with a very ambient intro leading to some more pastoral folk music as imagery of movement and weather abound. "Plunk Rock" (maybe that's a new genre) creates tension through an insistent bass line (just needs Brian Blessed with his "Gordon's alive" line behind it) and an inventive arrangement that uses space around the musicians. Last blast too of that rock guitar and hammond 70s grind.
Inventive and entertaining Plunk Rock from beginning to end. Like Davy Spillane in the late 80s and early 90s or more recently Bela Fleck, Ciaran Ryan has successfully combined dexterous traditional virtuosity with outside styles and influences to make an exciting whole.
Marc Higgins
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