Horslips - Aliens (LP) (1977) - €10,00

posted by ad-vinylrecords

Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs frequently inspired by traditional Irish airs, jigs and reels. 

The group are regarded as 'founding fathers of Celtic rock' for their fusion of traditional Irish music with rock music and went on to inspire many local and international acts. 

They formed in 1970 and 'retired' in 1980 for an extended period. The name originated from a spoonerism on The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse which became "The Four Poxmen of The Horslypse".

8th album by the great Irish Prog group Horslips, great precursors of Celtic Rock in general and Celtic Prog in particular. 

Firmly based in Irish Folk music and the Celtic tradition, the band incorporated these themes with Prog, creating exciting and outstanding music, which withstands the tides of time beautifully. 

The band included guitarist John Fean, multi—instrumentalist Charles O`Connor, keyboardist Jim Lockhart, bassist Barry Devlin and drummer Eamon Carr. 

All five musicians contributed their musical ideas as composers and four of them (except the drummer) shared the vocal duties. This release is Rockier and less Celtic in comparison to their earlier albums, but still an excellent album overall.

Aliens is their transitional album bridging the gap between the Celtic myth and legend woven into their earlier work and the pop/rock of their latter days. 

It tells the story of the early Irish immigrants voyages to settle in America, their reception upon arrival and the sorrow at leaving their homeland only to find the promised land was not what they were led to believe.

Horslips were a sadly underrated band who, on the evidence of this one album, deserved far better than they actually received. 

There is some phenomenal guitar playing by James Fean particularly on "The Wrath Of The Rain", "Speed The Plough" and the instrumental "Exiles". 

Jim Lockhart's flute and Charles O'Connor's mandolin and fiddle provide the perfect accompaniment and ensure the band never lose sight of their Celtic origins.

Opening with the sounds of a harbor suggesting a voyage across the Atlantic, the band tell tales of hope and hardship, using a considerable range of styles and shifts of mood. Pop-rock hooks abound, but there are also hard rock riffs, jazz syncopation, and an instrumental (the beautiful "Exiles"). 

The songs are often moored to traditional irish melodies that sometimes bubble up in brief interludes between numbers. The band are watchwork tight throughout, with Johnny Fean's guitar and Jim Lockhart's keyboards standing out.

Side one

1.  Before The Storm - 0:40

2.  The Wrath Of The Rain - 2:55

3.  Speed The Plough - 3:30

4.  Sure The Boy Was Green - 4:35

5.  Come Summer - 3:25

6.  Stowaway - 3:27

Side two

1 . New York Wakes - 4:02

2.  Exiles - 3:12

3.  Second Avenue - 3:59

4.  Ghosts - 3:34

5.  A Lifetime To Pay - 4:08

Companies, etc.

• Record Company – DJM Records And Tapes

Credits

• Artwork [Art] – Geoff Halpin
• Bass, Vocals – Barry Devlin
• Design [Sleeve Design] – Charles O'Connor
• Drums, Percussion – Eamon Carr
• Engineer – Alan O'Duffy
• Fiddle, Mandolin, Vocals – Charles O'Connor
• Guitar, Vocals – John Fean
• Keyboards, Flute – Jim Lockhart
• Photography By – Ian Finlay 
• Producer, Engineer – Alan O'Duffy
• Producer, Written-By – Horslips

Notes

Release:  1977

Format: LP, Vinyl

Pressed:  Italy

Genre:  Prog Rock

Label:  DJM Records

Catalog#  DJF 29519

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00