| Influences | Quotations/Reviews
"Imagine Mary Chapin Carpenter, with a distinctly Irish outlook. A storyteller, using sensibly and carefully, the power of words to great effect and delivering her songs in a manner both disarming and unaffected."
John O’Regan – Music Journalist, Irish Music magazine, Folk Roots, Rock ‘n’ Reel. RTE, BBC.
"One of our more modest talents, Briege Murphy’s lyrical songs have been picked by several other singers."
Geoff Harden, Northern Ireland music journalist and radio broadcaster, Irish Music magazine and Newsletter.
“Absolutely superb”
Robert Mc Millen, Irish News newspaper.
“An Irish Nancy Griffiths, Briege’s voice is comparable to the best of the Irish female singers”
Living Tradition magazine.
“Lovely songs, great singing.” The tape is a joy to hear”
Christy Moore
"An enchanting collection of songs"
The Argus newspaper Co. Louth
"If you love warm, sweet singing from the heart, with absolutely perfect arrangements, you’ll love this CD from Co. Armagh native Briege Murphy.
Briege’s clear lovely voice is well met by the instruments. It is clear that a great deal of care and experience went into the songs and arrangements, and it pays off nicely”.
Paul Carr, the San Francisco Herald, about "The Elm Wood" CD
"Take time to sit and listen and enjoy the talent that Briege Murphy portrays through her music"
The Anglo Celt newspaper.
"A beautiful album"
Tommy Sands, Songwriter and radio host - The Elm Wood CD
"Briege Murphy has a way with words, par excellence"
Sarah McQuaid Hot Press magazine May 2003.
"She paints pictures with her words"
Frances Black
Award Winning Irish Singer.
The Elm Wood (self-released, 2002) by Briege Murphy
The Elm Wood (self-released, 2002)
By
Briege Murphy
Briege Murphy is quite possibly one of Ireland's best-kept musical secrets -- unless of course you are Frances Black, who has covered a number of Briege's treasured songs, thereby introducing Briege's music to the wider audience that it so richly deserves. Briege retains enough of her South Armagh accent to instil a distinctly Irish feel to her performances, with a voice that possesses similar indigenous qualities to the likes of Dolores Keane with the added clarity and ease of Mary Black.
Those who have witnessed Frances Black's renditions of Briege's songs "How Sweet The Tune" or "Hills of South Armagh" will already be aware of the emotional punch that Briege's songs deliver, and "The Elm Wood" doesn't fail to deliver in this respect either. Right from the first track, "Comfort In A Song," Briege is mining the depths of her passion for music with words that will ring true to many an avid music lover; "I never needed riches / for I was never poor / oh as long as I had the music / I'd be fine." Briege homes in impeccably on the sentiments stirred by music in many of us -- often providing a much-needed lift from the humdrum of every day life.
Briege has an undeniable talent for taking note of her surroundings and interpreting their stories through her strikingly poignant lyrics. On "The Ring Of Gullion," Briege paints us a landscape of her beautiful native Ulster, blighted by the military presence of helicopters and watch towers, and laments the exodus of "footsteps" that leave it all behind. The song closes with a forward glance to better times ahead; "though the light is slow returning / we have learned to bide our time / someday birdsong will reclaim the skies again." Briege turns again to her immediate surroundings on "The Maid of Liosamhanaigh," the name being taken from the area in which she lives and the river that passes by her house. With this song, Briege has crafted a fine set of lyrics, very much in the style of an old folklore ballad; "beneath an ancient sycamore / a fair young girl sat weeping / I recognised her beauty / knew the sadness she was keeping." This is a sad tale of a young woman who chooses to flee her home, after an attempt to force her to marry against her will.
Nestled amongst all this sentiment and raw emotion, lies a genuinely hilarious song, "Saving Up To Be Famous," that will likely have you laughing out loud. With tongue firmly in cheek, Briege casts an eye over the vanities of celebrity, pondering whether she needs to take similarly drastic measures to further her own career; "gonna get my bosoms made so big / I'm likely to fall over."
The accompanying musicianship is first-class -- no surprise when you consider that those responsible include Van Morrison collaborator, Johnny Scott and former member of Mary Black's band, Frank Gallagher. Beautiful harmonies are provided by Cork singer, Aine Whelan. Briege Murphy is one of Ireland's most enchanting songwriters, who will bowl you over instantly with her effortless warmth and sincerity.
Special thanks to Mike Wilson for permission to include his review - available and published at www.folking.com Mikes page can be accessed by clicking on his photograph in Brieges friends section.
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