published: 27 /
5 /
2020
Label:
Wolfe Island
Format: CD
First-rate return to making music for film maker Paul J Bolger, who last released an album twenty five years ago
Review
Paul J Bolger is an artist, film maker and writer as well as a musician. He’s spent many years in the entertainment world and achieved a great deal of success. Music is something he has come back to after a long break thanks to a chance meeting with an old friend, American singer David Corley. Paul toured with him in Ireland and was then introduced to the Wolfe Island Records team in Canada when he made a film related trip there.
Paul J Bolger describes his working life as a "lifetime spent shifting between music, visual art and film and he describes making this album as "a 'never too late' dream come true or this grey haired old rocker who finally found his voice."
Celtic Rock group Horslips recognised a genre they named ‘Bog Gothic’ and Paul identifies with that description. I can see where he’s coming from, but there’s a wealth of influences from across the Atlantic too. In the deep past of Celtic and Americana music this isn’t surprising. Influences have gone back and forth over centuries with the musicians who make the music.
The album starts with the upbeat track 'Swim', which put me in mind of Canadian songwriter Ron Sexsmith and the Travelling Wilburys. 'How Many More Tears' has beautiful country rock harmonies. The pedal steel guitar creates an eerie mood for 'Wedding Gown'.
The sleeve notes quote the lyrics from 'Pillarstone', "I can weather any storm/Like a pillarstone..."
Paul J Bolger has worked with fellow musicians to create some great arrangements of his songs. He is a confident musician and songwriter bringing a wealth of experiences and influences to these songs. I understand that two albums worth of recordings were made in Dublin and Canada. This is the first and I look forward to the second.
Track Listing:-
1
Swim
2
How Many More Tears
3
Wedding Gown
4
Pillarstone
5
Two Wrongs
6
All Those Things
7
Unkind
8
I Believe
Band Links:-
https://www.pauljbolger.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pauljbolger
https://twitter.com/pauljbolger