Published on Jul 30, 2019
An assembly of Irish musicians, (even though some are from Canada,) The Irish Rovers has been plugging away since the early '60s. Though they scored some mainstream success with “Wasn't That A Party” in 1980 when they altered their sound and name a bit, they've since retreated back to their Irish ways. In 1967, they released The Unicorn to much unexpected praise and success, and here they give us the sequel 50 years later.
“Come In” starts the album deeply indebted to Irish sounds with harmonic vocals, extremely melodic music, and a danceable spirit. “The Man From Mullingar” follows with vivid storytelling in a playful and tuneful setting.
While the strong vocal work is certainly a focal point here, “Little Bridget Flynn” brings meticulous and delicate musicianship to the listen. Meanwhile, “The Orange And The Green” is certainly a record highlight with multiple vocals alongside smooth, timeless interplay between the noisemakers.
The back half of the album offers us the group vocals of “Brady Of Strabane” where the accordion sounds better than ever, and “Muirsheen Durkin” shuffles with a frisky atmosphere and memorable chorus.
Near the end, “The Wind That Shakes The Corn” recruits balladry with flowing melody and “Narwal, The Continuing Story Of The Unicorn” ends the listen with one of the most varied tunes, where strong guitar work and galloping percussion help made the exit worth the price of admission alone.
An outfit that were one of the biggest names in the area of Irish pop sounds, The Irish Rovers has had a glorious and lengthy career with 50+ albums, many TV specials, and even a TV series. Perhaps most known for their 1967 tune “The Unicorn Song,” The Irish Rovers does indeed answer the question of what happened to the unicorns when the rain came in that hit song on this installment, which, for longtime fans, is an answer they've been waiting a half century for.