Finbar Furey has one of the most distinctive voices in the folk tradition, located somewhere between Luke Kelly and Tom Waits. Here he applies it handsomely to his interpretation of folk standards, like Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ In the Wind’ and Ewan McColl’s ‘School Days Over’, traditional tunes of the vintage of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Dan O’Hara’, and a generous selection from his own, much underrated, songwriter’s bag. Of the latter, his ‘Walking With My Love’ and ‘One Last Pay Day’ are all especially welcome additions to the folk canon.
He adds a light touch to ‘School Days Over’ that gives the classic Luke Kelly version a run for its money, while Donovan’s hippy hit ‘Colours’ and the ubiquitous ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ adapt to Furey’s commanding approach. Mary Black shares a winning duet on ‘Walking With My Love’, but Furey’s towering presence dwarfs Shayne Ward on ‘Rivers Of Steel’. His own ‘Begging Change On The Street’ has a wistful Appalachian feel; ‘The Ballad For George Best’ (“the ball flying homeward with blistering curves”) captures the spirit of the maverick genius; and Furey exudes compassion on Phil Coulter’s ‘The Old Man’ about his father Ted. There’s much sparkling support work from the musicians, and from the multi-instrumentalist Furey – but it’s his granite voice that wins the day.