ALBUM REVIEW: AFTER HOURS- BLACK 47 TRIBUTE COMPILATION (2021)

Thirty years since the release of Black 47’s eponymous first album comes the first part of a trilogy of tribute albums celebrating this popular and controversial band of who Time magazine wrote in 1993 it was

“the proletariat passion of Black 47’s songs that make the group stand out”.

Seven songs from Larry Kirwan and Black 47 with Celtic Cross, Pat McGuire, Screaming Orphans, The Gobshites, Rory K, Gary Óg and Martin Furey produced by Peter Walsh of The The Gobshites and Larry Kirwan of Black 47.

Taking their name and inspiration from the worse year of An Gorta Mór (the Great Hunger) in Ireland Black 47 were one of the brightest lights of the Irish music scene on the American east-coast for twenty-five years from 1989 till they called it a day in 2014. Their influence still spreads across the whole of America and wherever Irish music in America is mentioned then the name of Black 47 will be included. So it is fitting that Valley Entertainment have announced a series of tribute albums to be rleased over the next few months starting with After Hours celebrating thirty years since the release of their debut self-titled album in 1991.

Executive produced by Peter Walsh of the much loved Celtic-Punk band The Gobshites and Black 47’s very own Larry Kirwan, After Hours will be released in three parts, each comprising a selection of reworked Black 47 favourites beginning with the first volume that came out on St. Patrick’s Day 2021. Playing over 2500 live shows across three continents during their time together (including one memorable evening down the Haringey Irish Centre in north London) these collections feature musicians that the band met along the way while performing everywhere from stadiums to theatres, rock clubs to Irish bars. In addition to working on these releases, the ever busy Larry Kirwan has been working on several other projects:  His latest novel Rockaway Blue was published by Three Hills/Cornell U. Press on March 15th.  He conceived and co-wrote the Broadway bound musical Paradise Square that tells the story of the immigrant Irish and African-Americans in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City during the Civil War. While for Peter Walsh and The Gobshites they have come storming back onto the Celtic-Punk scene with their latest single ‘Carry Me Away’. The music on After Hours includes songs from the entire Black 47 catalogue, each one featuring a guest artist.

(Each song is featured individually but to hear them together go to the Bandcamp link at the bottom)

Celtic Cross – ’40 Shades Of Blue’

Pat McGuire – ‘Too Late To Turn Back’

Screaming Orphans – ‘Sleep Tight In New York City (Her Dear Old Donegal)

The Gobshites – ‘Livin’ In America’

Rory K. – ‘Desperate’

Gary Óg – ‘James Connolly’

Martin Furey – ‘Rockin’ The Bronx’

 

Buy After Hours  Fanlink  ValleyEntertainent  Bandcamp

Released by Valley Entertainment. Independent record label based in New York City. The label includes an eclectic repertoire with focus on singer-songwriters, modern Irish musicians and World music.

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Tagged: Black 47, Celtic Cross, Gary Óg, Martin Furey, Pat McGuire, Rory K, Screaming Orphans, The Gobshites