Murray & Falkenau are the instrumental talents of Anna Falkenau (Fiddle / Lead Guitar) and the songwriting / lyrical capabilities of Ivan J. Murray (Vocals / Guitar). The Leipzig Sessions were unsurprisingly recorded in Germany in 2010 and the album released earlier this year. The album flips back and forth from 'Jigs and Reels' to earthy gutsy contemporary songs and includes a wonderful cover of Joseph Arthur's 'In The Sun'. It makes for a good listen and a decent debut album.
The most impressive songs are the album opener 'Wake Up The Neighbours' with it's fine lyrics, 'Riposte' for the sublime lead acoustic guitar over rhythm guitar and haunting sounds of 'Western Plains'. In fact 'Western Plains' best sums up the sound of 'Murray & Falkenau' with it's wonderful violin enhancing the vocals and guitars of the song.
The album is an album of two halves which don't completely compliment each other. There are times I'm thinking I'd love another non jig track like 'Western Plain' or 'Song for Little Man'. Not that the jigs are bad but they sound a little flat in comparison to the quality of the contemporary tracks. I've no doubt that these reels and jigs will appeal to trad Irish enthusiast.
There's enough good tracks on 'The Leipzig Sessions' to give a generally positive review. It'll be well worth your while checking out the video to 'Western Plains' below and to get the album for the Joseph Arthur cover 'In The Sun'.
Murray & Falkenau - The Leipzig Sessions - [9 out of 12]
Buy the album: http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/murrayandfalkenau
http://annafalkenau.com/murrayandfalkenau/
Tour Dates:
8 December Kelly's, Galway w Lena Ullman
10 December An Bodhrán, Mitchelstown
11 December The Crane Bar, Galway w Murray & Falkenau Band
16 December, Old Firestation, Torgelow, Germany,
17 December, Molly Malone's, Berlin, Germany
20 Dec, Green Island, Zeitz, Germany
21 Dec, Cafe Lebensart, Greiz, Germany
22 Dec, Geleitshaus Weißenfels, Germany
23 Dec, Kaffeeschuppen, Halle, Germany
26 Dec Slyne Head, Senftenberg, Germany
30 & 31 Dec Dubliner, Dresden, Germany
2012
6 & 7 Jan 2012 Shamrock, Dresden, Germany
24 March Cafe Toucouleur, Tregastel, France.
25 April Blue, Portland, ME, US
28 April Chandler Hall, Randolph, VT, US
29 April The Music Box, Craftsbury, VT, US
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