Christy Moore: Lily review - Still connecting, still resolutely grounded

Lily
    
Artist: Christy Moore
Genre: Singer / Songwriter
Label: Sony Music

Never mind that Christy Moore continues to mine the seam of songwriting that is rooted in the especially ordinary; he remains the folk singer (and irregular songwriter) who can distil the essence of what it means to breathe, remember, and contextualise.

Of the 10 tracks here, only one – the title track – is a fully-fledged Moore composition, and it’s superbly, typically evocative of growing up close to a small provincial town.

Other songs include similarly redolent tracks written by Declan O'Rourke (Lightning, Bird, Wind, River Man), John Spillane (Ballad of Patrick Murphy), Peter Gabriel (Wallflower), Tony Small (Mandolin Mountain), and Paul Doran (The Gardener). Still connecting, still resolutely grounded – Moore is as much especially ordinary as inspirational.

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture