Ger Wolfe :: Reviews

NO BIRD SANG-Review from The Irish Examiner-Sept. 2009

Four Stars * * * *

No Bird Sang – Ger Wolfe (Raggedy Records)
When reviewing a previous Ger Wolfe release I suggested that though not a traditional singer, his voice echoed the cadence of older sean-nós singers. For his latest offering ‘No Bird Sang’, Wolfe has brought on board the counsel and production skills of Cúil Aodh’s Peadair O’Riada for what is essentially a stripped down, laid bare approach to just voice and guitar, on a dozen splendidly constructed and delivered, self-penned songs. In essence the Cork city native has drifted closer to that traditional style of singing while at the same time maintaining his own individualistic and contemporary elegance. Conceivably, his tenure as writer in residence with ‘Gaeltacht Muscraí’, collaborating with older members of the community has informed and influenced his manner of writing and annunciation.

On hearing Ger Wolfe’s music, one is reminded of American writer Elbert Hubbard’s words – “those who create beauty are also those who possess it”. The Macroom based singer/songwriter, on this his fifth collection of original material, certainly creates a work of beauty, honestly revealing his innermost reflections on nature, personal relationships, fears and environmental concerns. The title track was inspired by a discussion with a ten-year-old about the beginning of the world and A Song from Earth is a perceptive observation of space exploration and written as a birthday present for International space station astronaut, Daniel Tani. A revisiting of, probably Ger’s most popular song ‘The Curra Road’, originally found on 2002’s Ragged Ground album, is a more than welcome addition from an artist who draws upon instinctive spirituality for inspiration. Lyrically and musically, he illuminates his own personal landscape in a bare and minimalist fashion. No Bird Sang sparkles with rural, nautical and celestial imagery and is Ger Wolfe’s finest record to date.

Gerry Quinn

September 2009

NO BIRD SANG-Review from The Irish Times -October 2nd 2009

Three stars * * *
No Bird Sang – Ger Wolfe (Raggedy Records)
I would be telling an untruth to say that I know well Ger Wolfe’s work, but I have long admired the Corkman’s singular approach to making music, his unrelenting attachment to place and culture, and his determination to say something in a song. There’s a remarkable intensity in the performance of his self-penned songs, heightened here by the skeletal accompaniment of essentially his acoustic guitar under the direction of producer Peadar O’ Riada.
However, the almost mournful tone of Wolfe’s voice demands a lot of the Listener over the course of an album. That said, his lyrics- rich, thoughtful and intriguing- rarely fail to transport the listener to another place. The title track, presumably about the A-bomb attack on Japan, is typical of Wolfe’s pastoral poetic style, while his adherence to his Cork accent shows him to be an artist true to his roots. www.gerwolfe.com
JOE BREEN
Download tracks: No Bird Sang, The Grey Crow

October 2009

Reviews for some of Ger's work
1."Ger Wolfe's reputation has been forged on a combination of unselfconscious autobiography and an unapologetic local accent that rises high above the homogenised soundwall that passes for pop radio lately..his preoccupations remain no less transparentbut his grasp is firmer thanks to a particularly genteel meitheal of players . That uncomplicated voice still reigns supreme but stylistic shuffles between folk, reggae and hymnal silence bring a new dimension to the man's identity."
Siobhan Long The Irish Times
2. "Now on his third album , it can't be long before Wolfe takes his place on the top flight of home based singer-songwriter acts.His voice emerges from the core of a song as if it had lived there all its life.."
9 out of 10
Jackie Hayden Hotpress
3."Ger Wolfe may be Cork's best kept songwriting secret, but Heaven.. shows what he's really made of, ballads like 'The Lark of Mayfield' forge new airs in Irish folk without abandoning the music's roots.If people aren't knocking on Wolfe's door asking permission to cover his songs it will be a crime "
Kernan Andrews in The Galway Advertiser
4. " Though not a traditional singer, his vocal style is reminiscent of older and more seasoned sean-nos performers"
Gerry Quinn The Clare Champion.
Other Reviews (Ragged Ground)
1. "Ger Wolfe has an utterly original approach to his craft..his songs have a lyrical ,timeless quality, pandering to neither fad nor fashion...a rare and unique creative talent"
Paul Dromey The Irish Examiner
2. "Ger Wolfe has his own unique accent ,his own special voice that takes us to the heart of the song. As Seamus Heaney says , 'Sing yourself to the where the singing comes from', - Ger Wolfe does this and takes you with him."
Philip King
3. "While other singer/songwriters might weigh down such personal songs with a barren sense of profundity or pretentiousness , Wolfe pares down the analyses to a series of effective lyrical strokes.. "
Tony Clayton-LeaThe Irish Times
4. "Red-raw emotional exposure.. even the arrangements reek of raw nerve-endings ..simple melodies overlaid with plain-speaking lyrics,Swingshifting from shiny happy gemstones to pensive reflections, Ger's got himself one memorable calling card here"
Siobhan Long The Irish Times
5. "..Sure-footed and astute though retaining a child-like simplicity-Ger Wolfe delivers his words with a spirit of celebration.."
John O' Regan F'Roots
6. "The Curra Road ..is a classic of grace and simplicity and should become a folk standard."
Alan Lewis The Boston Globe
7. "Honest, unaffected songs imbued with a sweet natured folky timelessness,far more sophisticated in it's production than it's predecessor,'Word &Rhyme' ,the new c.d. features complex instrumental arrangements with richly entwined horns and strings .The focus , however is still on Wolfe's dreamy , poetic lyrics.."
Sarah Mc Quaid The Evening Herald