Search - Paul Brady :: Hard Station

Musical Legends 101 : Singer Songwriters

Craobh Rua | N. Ireland | 06/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Born and raised in Strabane, Northern Ireland, Paul Brady is one of Ireland's most highly regarded singer-songwriters. His songs have been covered by artists such as Santana, Bonnie Riatt and Tina Turner, while he has recorded with the likes of Eric Clapton, Loudon Wainwright III and Larry Mullen Jr. Brady is probably best known as an Irish folk / trad artist. His recording career began in the 1960s as a member of the Johnstons, before joining Planxty in the 1970s - a group whose members also included Christy Moore and Andy Irvine. Between 1976 and 1978, he worked with Irvine, producing an album that is still regarded as a folk classic. "Hard Station" was released in 1981, three years after his solo folk album "Welcome Here Kind Stranger". It has eight tracks, all self-penned, and was Brady's first non-trad release. It has also been referred to, in some quarters, as a classic in Irish rock. The opening track, "Crazy Dreams", is one of the album's better songs - a cheerful, up-tempo song that was released as a single. (You might also want to check out Maura O'Connell's version, on her "Just In Time" album). For me, the album's other standout tracks are "Hard Station" and "Nothing But The Same Old Story" - these songs aren't quite so cheery though. "Hard Station" tells the story of someone totally out of luck. "Nothing But The Same Old Story", meanwhile, deals with an Irish immigrant's experiences in London. "Hard Station" would sit comfortably in my all-time list of favourite albums and it showcases Brady's songwriting abilities superbly. However, it is probably something of an acquired taste and his other albums probably give a better indication of his playing abilities. My advice ? Take a chance on it - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do."