Planxty - The Well Below The Valley - 1973 (24/96 Vinyl Rip) *NEW-RIP+REPOST*

Planxty's second album from 1973 is something that raises the awareness of Irish music with its inventive arrangements and superb playing. All the musicians are luminaries –Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Liam O'Flynn, and Andy Irvine–and for a quartet they make a massive sound that's nearly as big as their impact, which still reverberates throughout Irish music today. "Enjoy this beautiful and atmospheric Irish folk album (upgrade-rip) ; it is one of their highlights"! H.R. Covers are made by Fran Solo; thank you Fran for the excellent scans"!

Note > No silence was deleted; please burn this album gapless..

Review:

Planxty begins its remarkable sophomore release "The Well Below the Valley" with the pipe-led "Cunla," an engaging round sung by founder Christy Moore. Impeccably played dance tunes, soulful laments, and rollicking narratives follow, allowing listeners access to the full breadth of the group's many talents. The record's centerpiece is the eerie title track, a taut, mid-tempo dirge that's loosely based on the story of Jesus at the Well.

Though traditional, the tune's incestuous overtones and dark imagery have limited its appeal to older generations of singers – most refuse to sing it – and defined it as the forbidden fruit of Celtic music. Andy Irvine offers up two of his finest ballads, the mournful wartime love letter "As I Roved Out" and the bittersweet "Time Will Cure Me," proving once again that his deeply expressive voice is unmatched within the genre.

Moore's "As I Roved Out" – same name, entirely different song – is a wonderfully catchy tune anchored by Irvine's bouzouki and tin whistle that showcases Moore's tale-telling prowess. The Well Below the Valley is everything a collection of traditional music should be. With its warm and simple production and fine performances, it remains a classic that should have little problem surviving the ages.

James Christopher Monger - Allmusic.com: 4,5/5


Track List:

01 Cunla
02 Pat Reilly
03 Slip Jigs: A) The Kid On The Mountain; B) An Phis
04 As I Roved Out
05 Reels: A)The Dogs Among The Bushes; B) Jenny's Wedding
06 The Well Below The Valley

07 Hewlett
08 Bean Phaidin
09 Hornpipes: A) Fisherman's Lilt; B) Cronin's Hornpi
10 As I Roved Out
11 Solo Jig: Humours Of Ballyloughlin
12 Time Will Cure Me