Reviewed by Brendan O'Regan

Daniel O'Donnell tends to provoke wildly different reactions, even in Ireland. With some, especially rural and west of Ireland fans, he's hugely popular - his massive album sales testify to that, while more urban and east of Ireland music lovers tend to find his material overly sentimental and soulless. Even if they did have a sneaking admiration they'd be too embarrassed to admit it - not cool! So it's difficult to be objective on this one. Certainly this will be a popular album with the true fans at home, and the nostalgia content should ensure success with the Irish abroad. Production values are professional, O'Donnell's voice is pleasant and conducive to easy listening, and the songs are already popular - best known are tracks like "My Wild Irish Rose", "Fields of Athenry", "Maggie", "Red Is The Rose" and "The Town I Loved So Well". Yet this album treads a safe and familiar groove. The arrangements are not adventurous or challenging in any way, so there's no hope here that the unconvinced will be won over. And yet if he tried to knock some of the smooth edges off the material the die-hard fans might well be alienated (and O'Donnell is known to be very good to his fans!).

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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