I have been expecting an outbreak of songs about September 11th but One Morning In Bar Harbor, on this Eric Bogle album is the first I have heard. It ought to be the last as well; Eric Bogle has the knack writing songs which leave nothing left to be said. He did it with his First World War Song, The Green Fields Of France and he has done it again. This is a truly moving song and a fitting epitaph for those who died in New York.
Eric Bogle has been writing and singing memorable songs for over thirty years, and a man who can write a song like The Green Fields Of France has very high standards to live up to. There are sixteen tracks on this new album and every one of them has a cracking tune which is beautifully performed by Eric and six other musicians.
Of the words, occasionally the voice of protest becomes a bit strident, and on some tracks the philosophy gets in the way of the story. But on tracks such as The Koala Cafe, Elvis 'N Me, Homecoming, The Cradle To The Grave and, especially One Morning In Bar Harbor he gets everything right. And when Eric Bogle gets it right he has few equals.
Howard Baker
 |
Buy
this CD online from The Listening Post The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 50 of The Living Tradition magazine. |