Damian O’Neill: An Crann – album review

Damian O’Neill: An Crann

Dimple Discs

Available now

I last saw Damian O’Neill on a beautiful evening in Blackpool (if that is not an oxymoron). With The Undertones. He was firing on all cylinders and shooting from the hip with those riffs we all know and love. There’s no doubt he has always had hooks to burn and he would be right up there as one of the foremost Punk-Pop Progenitors. However, the release of An Crann shows that Damian O’Neill has more than one string to his finely-tuned bow.

An Crann (The Tree) is totally different from O’Neill’s usual style, it’s less Vive le Rock and more Vive la Difference as the Derry guitar wizard, now London-based, proves he can thrive as a multi-instrumentalist. And just to embellish the package, the sleeve is a beautiful photograph taken by O’Neill’s daughter Rosa. These are not the songs we are used to, as An Crann is largely instrumental and sees O’Neill playing a wide-range of instruments, such as mandolin, acoustic guitar and farfisa organ.

All conceived and recorded in O’Neill’s attic during Lockdown, An Crann has more than a hint of an Irish feel to it, though not in a traditional way with the exception of Manannan mac Lir which features some very creditable mandolin playing. An Crann was also the name of a peace and reconciliation organisation based in Derry in the early ‘90’s and it’s fair to say the music on this album is peaceful and calming. It’s a collection of beautiful, varied soundscapes from the peace of Malin Head Imminent to the more Bluesy feel of La Tengo.

However, An Crann is not about selecting individual tracks, it’s more of a complete experience with the variety of the tracks only enhancing the complete listening experience. Do yourself a favour, lock the door on these merciless winter nights, give this a spin and let your mind float downstream.

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All words by Dave Jennings. More from Dave can be found at his Louder Than War Author Archive. He is also on Twitter