Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - The Deepest Breath (2022) [Hi-Res]

2020’s Solas an Lae saw Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin striking away from his Skipper’s Alley roots in the company of Ultan O’Brien (reviewed in March 2021, #165). Now he sets out his stall as a songwriter on his solo debut, The Deepest Breath.

Ó Ceannabháin puts his dark, baritone voice to varied and evocatively pointed use, exploiting traditional and sean nós approaches, bending and blending them to straddle past and present, as in the searing title-track and ‘Anáil na hOíche’ (Night Breathing) and ‘Bánshoilse’ (First Light), the brace of dream-like reveries that bookend proceedings. Perpetual traditional ballad ‘Róisín Dubh’ is treated to a piercing a cappella confessional, the stirring ‘Only the Earth’ features the haunting sound of whales singing. Ó Ceannabháin doubles up on concertina, clarinet and flute (the jaunty ‘Monaghan Jig’ with Conor Lyon’s dancing bodhrán), and there’s fine support from O’Brien’s fiddle and John Francis Flynn’s guitar alongside telling vocal contributions from Ó Ceannabháin’s sisters. Where Muireann’s ethereal vocals halo the Christy Moore-worthy ‘Dublin City Fever Dream’, Saileog has fun in the two-part ‘Cat Agus Gealach’, its singing feline giving way to a wordless paean to the moon where sean nós meets scat singing. Synthesizers add to Alex Borwick’s subtle and effective production.

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin: Vocals, Concertina, Flute, Clarinet
Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz: Cello, Vocals
Ian Kinsella: Guitar, Vocals
Alex Borwick: Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Synthesisers, Electric Guitar, Trombone, Vocals
Ultan O'Brien: Fiddle, Viola
Conor Lyons: Bodhrán
Saileog Ní Cheannabháin: Vocals, Piano
Muireann Ní Cheannabháin: Vocals
John Francis Flynn: Guitar

Tracklist:
1.01 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Anáil na hOíche (4:36)
1.02 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Dublin City Fever Dream (3:20)
1.03 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Ringing That Bell (4:22)
1.04 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - The Monaghan Jig (3:11)
1.05 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Embrace The New Day (5:43)
1.06 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Róisín Dubh (3:59)
1.07 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Cat agus Gealach (4:18)
1.08 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Only The Earth (4:10)
1.09 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - The Deepest Breath (4:18)
1.10 - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin - Bánshoilse (6:11)