Co-founder of the legendary MELLOW CANDLE, Alison met Isabel Ní Chuireáin in the summer of 2002 and forged a friendship and musical partnership that bore fruit in 2006 with the release on Osmosys Records of their album, Mise agus Ise (myself and herself). Together the pair wrote, arranged and produced this personal body of work, with the help of musician friends, near and far, and their engineer and co-producer Al Cowan. London-based photographer and friend Ken Garland captured them on film during a flying visit to Dublin.
The songs are a collection covering seminal events in Alison's life from her childhood to the many formative years spent outside Ireland, and her eventual return to her homeland in 2001. Isabel's tunes are similarly autobiographical, including two dedicated to her parents. That was 2006.
2007/8 brought collaborations with Dave Colohan of Agitated Radio Pilot ('World Winding Down' double album) and Steven Collins of The Owl Service (EP entitled 'The Fabric of Folk' on Static Caravan). An album of songs is written and being arranged by Greg Weeks of Espers for recording sometime 09. Alison and Michael Tyack of Circulus wrote a song together for her solo album. A track for the new Mr Pine album, 'Rewilding', entitled 'Sleep of Ondine' has been recorded and Kevin Scott of this Canadian band has also co-written a song with Alison for the solo project. Australian rock homage (Aztec Energy) for the writer, Colin Harper's album is in the can ('Freedom & The Dream Penguin' by The Fieldmouse Conspiracy). Listen out for vox contribution on the forthcoming United Bible Studies album (The Jonah, just out in the Spring of 2009 on Camera Obscura). Alison is also doing some work-in-progress tracks with the young fella in Dublin, Jonny Tennant, who she occasionally gigs with, along with Isabel, multi-instrumentalist and tunesmith, who was born under the Capricorn sign and raised in the Gaeltacht area of An Fálcarrach in Donegal. Isabel's influences are all things astrological and meteorological. Jonny Tennant plays bouzouki, bass, bodhran, vox and some kind of Celtic horn ting. Jonny & Isabel have performed on two tracks for the solo album, and Margie Wienk of Fern Knight has added gorgeous harmonium and cello. Collaborations abound, mostly with Steven Collins and Graeme Lockett of Head Southy By Weaving. Graeme and Alison did a song for her album and a vinyl Double A-Side single for the wee indie prog psych folk label, Fruits de Mer was released in November last year. Oh, yeah, and some vox for American musician Michael Riddick. As of April 09 11 songs plus two bonus tracks are ready for the new solo album. Who is going to put it out? Don't know as yet.
Kathleen Ferrier, Helen Shapiro, The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Supremes, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Nina Leigh, Clodagh Simonds, Dave Williams, Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band, Joni Mitchell the painter and musician, Sandy Denny, Yes, Mervyn Peake, Nico, Frank Zappa, Richard & Linda Thompson, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Paul Brady, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, John Oakley-Smith, Colin Shamley, Roger Lucey, The Eagles, Weather Report, Philip Glass, Flora Purim, FLC, Garbage, Eels, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Anita O'Day, Linda Ronstadt, Manhattan Transfer, PJ Harvey, Bjork, La Bottine Souriante, Rosie Stewart, Rufus Wainright, and others who don't spring to mind right now.
Sounds Like
ALISON O’DONNELL with HEAD SOUTH BY WEAVING – Day Is Done / Frozen Warnings (Fruits De Mer) - You really can’t go wrong with a Nick Drake song can you? Well yes actually, these things are very precious, the bird has flown and you have to have something very very special to really live up to the magic of the original. Same with Nico, two beautifully tragic people, two exquisite music makers, two precious songs that require careful handling, loving care and attention to detail... Second part of this Fruits De Mer series of limited edition coloured vinyl seven inch singles where the label invites a singer, band or such to record two classic covers. Alison O’Donnell has such a rich dark full voice, she sings her choices of Nick Drake’s Day Is Done and Nico’s dark moody Frozen Warnings in such a beautifully transient way. So full of space and warmth, I must confess I was a little worried about listening to the Nick Drake cover - nothing to worry about here, these versions are wonderful. Really must go and explore what else she has, these versions are magical - the organ magazine
But the world is an amazing place, and this week I found Mise agus Ise ("Myself & Herself"), featuring the beautiful voice of Alison O'Donnell, along with Isabel Ni Chuireain. Alison was the 15-year-old sweet voice of the aforementioned Mellow Candle, and she has lost none of the magic -- in fact, I think she probably sounds even better... Although she is no longer a teenager, there is a strange youthful quality to her voice and renditions ... The lush and powerful playing of Isabel complements Alison's vocals. It is only when we listen to an album like this that we realize the essential ingredients of a magic performance. We need the lyrics and voice, but it is the arrangement and accompaniment that adds that indefinable spark to turn good into great. (Nicky Rossiter for Rambles)
The story of this release goes back to a brief exchange between Owl Service main man Steven Collins and Alison O'Donnell (of the legendary Irish prog-folk group Mellow Candle) on a social networking website in the Spring of 2007. "The Fabric of Folk" is a collision between two ages of folk-rock; Alison was intrigued by the sound of The Owl Service, Steven had been in awe of "Swaddling Songs" for many years and so a collaboration seemed inevitable. "Fabric..." contains two original Collins/O'Donnell compositions (one with lyrics penned by Dominic Cooper of the Straw Bear Band), a short instrumental interlude, and two traditional reworkings. The original songs bookend the EP in perfect fashion and Alison's treatment of the traditional material in between is masterful. From the ominous opening track "The Wooden Coat" to the epic finale "The Fabric of Life", the listener is taken on a journey through themes of life and death, all handled with a pathos and poignancy so rarely heard in modern folk music. "A Fabric of Folk" will be released on CD on September 15th by Static Caravan and on vinyl in February 2009 by Midwich Records.
O'Donnell's naturally otherworldly delivery allows her to pick up Drake’s haunting and sentimental 'Day Is Done' and make it her own;
…the almost inimitable Nico's 'Frozen Warnings' is positively dripping with icy darkness that fills the grim but somehow mellow depths of the piece with more superb vocalisation set against the drone of Cale-esque tones and timings.
O'Donnell can hold her head high in the knowledge that she did herself and Drake and Nico proud with her scintillating versions of their songs. Pete Brown aka Toxic Pete
…a brace of remarkable re-appraisals, whose intention it seems is to have you all a swoon…a caressing ghostly hue woven from the subtle dash of softly shimmering and hauntingly hushed psyche intonations
…captures perfectly the fragile almost chilling monochrome appeal of the original and frames it within a darkly hollowing ethereal soft psyche folk mantra like bewitchment that's both statuesque in deliverance and enchantingly epic in appearance. Indescribably essential.
Mark at Losing Today
…a more powerful rendition of the original without losing any of the feel lyrically that does no harm at all to Nick Drake's, or for that matter, Alison O'Donnell's continuing legacy…
…takes Nico's stark message and drops the temperature further with an intense and hypnotic performance…Quite harrowing…Nico would have loved this! Nick Leese at Heyday Mail Order, London
…adds an extra darkness and starkness to the already tragic originals…if you think Alison O'Donnell's best work is behind her - think again. Rough Trade, London
…genuine, black, shimmering and positively medieval in its menace. Winter bleak...Drake is generally pure class and this is a cover that adds lustre…the fractured oscillations wrapped by sneaky percussion makes it all something that a sinister Syd Barrett would be doing for his dominatrix
Unpeeled
thank you very much for the add. I love your version of FROZEN WARNINGS and of course the other songs. You have a marvelous voice and a wonderful sunday to you
Hi Alison. We will be releasing a 10 track pastoral psych folk CD entitled 'midsummers' on 24th June 2009. You can hear some tracks from midsummers on our myspace player. Best wishes, The Rowan Amber Mill.
The Annesley House North Strand (Fairview) Dublin 3
The Hootenanny Launch Gig
2 Stages 7 Acts
Collaborations on the night from…
Matthew Devereux (from The Pale) Keiron Black (from The Amazing Few) Wally Page Stephen and Tony Boylan Mick Duffy and Niall O’ Shea Alan and Breda Trimble Q and more…
Kicks off at 8.30pm Admission: 5 Euro
Everyones welcome along-it's gonna be a great nite full of fun+frolicks, so come along+join us for lots of Hootenanny Maddness!!! Emma, Q and Co. at The Qube Studio:)
Glad to add, and Alison made the big list through Mellow Candle.
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The story of this release goes back to a brief exchange between Owl Service main man Steven Collins and Alison O'Donnell (of the legendary Irish prog-folk group Mellow Candle) on a social networking website in the Spring of 2007. "The Fabric of Folk" is a collision between two ages of folk-rock; Alison was intrigued by the sound of The Owl Service, Steven had been in awe of "Swaddling Songs" for many years and so a collaboration seemed inevitable. "Fabric..." contains two original Collins/O'Donnell compositions (one with lyrics penned by Dominic Cooper of the Straw Bear Band), a short instrumental interlude, and two traditional reworkings. The original songs bookend the EP in perfect fashion and Alison's treatment of the traditional material in between is masterful. From the ominous opening track "The Wooden Coat" to the epic finale "The Fabric of Life", the listener is taken on a journey through themes of life and death, all handled with a pathos and poignancy so rarely heard in modern folk music. "A Fabric of Folk" will be released on CD on September 15th by 
