From: Pete Fyfe [petefyfe_at_aol_dot_com]

Sent: 01 May 2012 10:11

Subject: Pete Fyfe: Morgan O'Kane - Pendulum

Attachments: Morgan O'Kane - Pendulum.jpg

 

MORGAN O'KANE - Pendulum (Self Released)

 

They say that first impressions count?and unfortunately that's very true here. On putting the track "Hello Soul" I thought I can't wait for all the 3:31 minutes before it ends. I have respect for most musicians (I really do) but to me this track sounded like the banjo that should have found its way into the skip in that long running joke. It opens with what sounds like a bloke plonking the strings (badly) progressing into more up-tempo rambling and a fiddle driven mess culminating in an annoying chant of Hello Soul that keeps repeating itself like an unwanted burp after a meal sitting cross-legged in a desert tent with your attendant flunkies. Not a great start and for me it didn't get any better. I enjoy at least a modicum of ?music' but felt there wasn't any to be found on this recording then again the films "Deliverance" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou" have a lot to answer for. Appalachian nuanced music rightfully has its place but perhaps not on a modern CD and if the (presumably) intentional home-recording quality was utilised to enhance your audiences ?listening pleasure' it certainly didn't help here. Maybe I should have accepted it for what it was?a busker's interpretation of what he feels his public want. Nothing could be further from what I want thank you very much and although you can stop the fall of the pendulum by doing what I did and simply switch off I feel Mr O'Kane should be more aware of the sensibilities of his potential audience. www.morganokanemusic.com

 

PETE FYFE