If you have never heard of
Kirk S. McWhorter,
you would be in good company, because before listening to this album
neither had I. After listening to it, I have a feeling we will be hearing
a lot more from
Kirk. For those living in the New York
area, you will know
Kirk as the lead singer with the
[former band]
Kilbrannan. He has yet to make waves
on either side of the pond, but with songs such as he writes, it might be
sooner rather than later.
Kirk S. McWhorter comes from
Attica, NY, and he is a fine singer. He has the ability to write songs
that have an easy listening format, that cry out to be heard. Then he can
change the mood completely and deliver a serious ballad or shanty with
same ease.
As the title of the album, Eye of the Storm,
suggests these are mainly songs of the sea. There are a few tunes that
will already be familiar to folk buffs, "Spanish Ladies," "High
Barbary," "Skye Boat Song," and the song "Fiddler's
Green".
(Note: "Fiddler's Green" is not a traditional song, as the sleeve
notes suggest; it was written by John Conolly and it is
such a good song that I think anybody could make this mistake).
McWhorter wrote the main songs on the album, and pretty good they
are too. This is demonstrated by the first of McWhorter's
songs, "Bow to Stern" written in the shanty mode. This is
followed by the song "Grannuaile" a story song about the infamous
14th century woman pirate Grace O'Mally. Then follows the
song "The Tale of Fergus McCabe" the story of a 13 year-old boy
who meets his fate in the waters of Kilbrannan Sound. To add a bit of
light-hearted entertainment to the album the seventh track is a jovial
song "Old Spice," where McWhorter takes a
side-ways look at nautical terms. The last track has the album's title
song "Eye of the Storm" a song about a lighthouse -- or is it?
There is a bonus track about 60 seconds later of out-takes from the studio
floor. Just goes to prove Kirk has a sense of humour and
they had a lot of fun making the album.
This a studio
production album with 8 guest musicians and no less than 19 members of the
West Highland Choir belting out the choruses. It was
recorded, mixed and mastered entirely by Kirk at his
West Highland Studio, Attica, N.Y. I am surprised that
the big name record companies have not yet signed up McWhorter
or his band. But no matter, to buy the album or to get more information on
McWhorter, I suggest you do yourselves a favor and visit
[PennyWhiskey].!