Karan Casey - Chasing the Sun Largely recorded at her home in Co. Cork, “Chasing the Sun” uncovers Karan’s fine talent for songwriting and her sensitive approach to age-old themes such as love and oppression. Although self-written songs make up about half the album, alongside a trio of great songs by Barry Kerr (a young musician from Co. Armagh) and one by Robbie O’Connell, Karan hasn’t abandoned her first love of traditional singing. Her unique interpretations make you listen with new ears to the older songs. She can make you believe in any story she tells you: “Like the greatest torch singers, such as Billie Holiday, she makes us believe she is sharing confidences, singing just to us.” BOSTON GLOBE Karan is joined on the album by her long standing band – Niall Vallely (with whom she co-produced the album), Robbie Overson, Paul Meehan and Ewen Vernal: “People have been asking me for the last few years for an album that reflects the gigs, so here it is. This has just the lads and myself on it with no frills other than a few harmonies and a bit of percussion.” She also went back to her old friend John Anthony, the engineer who worked on her first solo album “Songlines” and the first three Solas albums: “John came over and set up the gear in the house, so we were able to work in a much more relaxed setting, I don’t think I have ever enjoyed making an album as much as this one, and you can hear it in my singing.” “Chasing the Sun” is sure to build on the success of Karan’s previous albums, which have garnered numerous awards as well as widespread critical acclaim. It represents a new level of maturity for Karan and is presented with an immediacy and vibrancy that will delight her fans as well as attracting a whole new audience.
