International Record Review has reviewed THE WEXFORD CAROLS by Caitríona O’Leary.
“I found the result compelling, haunting in its timeless beauty…”
You can buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD with its beautiful book-style packaging from the Heresy Shop – FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS is also available as a digital download with a digital booklet on iTunes, Amazon, Classics Online and other digital service providers around the world.
The Independent newspaper’s culture section Radar has given THE WEXFORD CAROLS a 3 Star review.
Preview some tracks from THE WEXFORD CAROLS
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German magazine IMAGE-HIFI features THE WEXFORD CAROLS in its roundup of Christmas CDs in an article by Winifried Dulisch.
“The Wexford Carols are more than just songs for the holiday season. Their lyrics and melodies attest to the indomitable faith of the Irish Catholics, who were banned from saying holy mass since 1678 by their English oppressors. The singer Caitriona O’Leary recorded these long-lost carols with Tom Jones, Rosanne Cash and other celebrated colleagues from Europe and the USA.
In this transatlantic session sparks fly from the combination of the performers devotion to these remarkable folk songs and their highly concentrated virtuosity. Irish Folk meets Americana. Blues and gospel blend harmoniously with gestures from early music. The Dublin record producer Eric Fraad said that the reason he is releasing The Wexford Carols on his label, Heresy Records, is “This world premiere meets all of the criteria for a totally convincing and compelling Christmas album. Top popular stars communicate the spiritual message of the music in the most serious and convincing manner and the feelings these artists evoke can be appreciated by every listener. “”
Read the article – PDF (German Language)
Preview some tracks from THE WEXFORD CAROLS
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The Los Angeles Times have again featured THE WEXFORD CAROLS in an article History sings as Caitríona O’Leary reclaims ‘The Wexford Carols’ by Randy Lewis.
“For the vast majority of holiday albums that surface at this time of year, it often seems the biggest artistic choices involved are whether the featured artist sings “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Jingle Bells.”
Irish singer Caitríona (pronounced Katrina) O’Leary digs considerably deeper than that with her just-released “The Wexford Carols,” an album that features guest singers Tom Jones, Rosanne Cash and Rhiannon Giddens, all under the guidance of respected Americana producer-songwriter Joe Henry.”
Last month The LA Times featured THE WEXFORD CAROLS in its roundup of new holiday music releases saying:
“This is easily the year’s most ambitious undertaking…”
“Producer Joe Henry brings a fitting gravitas to the selections…”
You can buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD with its beautiful book-style packaging from the Heresy Shop – FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS is also available as a digital download with a digital booklet on iTunes, Amazon, Classics Online and other digital service providers around the world.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS has been voted ‘hands down my favorite‘ by Ron Hogan in a list of his favourite holiday albums of 2014 on Beatrice.com
“It’s also the most beautifully sounding record of this year’s holiday season, as Joe Henry’s production gives the proceedings an almost tangible atmosphere of place, with guest appearances by Tom Jones, Roseanne Cash, and Rhiannon Giddens.”
Read the full article
The Wexford Carols Artists
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Early Music Today has reviewed THE WEXFORD CAROLS by Caitríona O’Leary featuring Sir Tom Jones, Rosanne Cash & Rhiannon Giddens
You can buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD with its beautiful book-style packaging from the Heresy Shop – FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS is also available as a digital download with a digital booklet on iTunes, Amazon, Classics Online and other digital service providers around the world.
Philly.com has featured THE WEXFORD CAROLS in its article 2014’s Caravan of Christmas Music.
“Or, even better, embrace “The Wexford Carols” (Heresy), a lovely collection of Ireland’s greatest Christmas music, as performed by singer Caitriona O’Leary, with help from Tom Jones and Rosanne Cash, and delicate production by Joe Henry.”
Read the full article
The Wexford Carols Artists
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Rosanne Cash has been Grammy-nominated for Best Americana Album for The River & The Thread, in addition to being nominated in the categories of Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots song.
She performs on several tracks on Heresy Record’s lastest release THE WEXFORD CAROLS by Caitríona O’Leary which also features Sir Tom Jones, Rhiannon Giddens and Dónal Lunny.
Hear Rosanne Cash sing Behould Three Kings from THE WEXFORD CAROLS
You can buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD with its beautiful book-style packaging from the Heresy Shop – FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS is also available as a digital download with a digital booklet on iTunes, Amazon, Classics Online and other digital service providers around the world.
The New York Times has featured THE WEXFORD CAROLS in an article on new holiday albums by Jon Pareles.
“The singer Caitríona O’Leary, who has extensively recorded Irish traditional and early classical music, researched and unearthed six melodies that may be the originals but had disappeared from annual performances in Wexford. With the producer Joe Henry, she made an album that bridges traditionalism — including one a cappella song – and an informal mixture of Irish instruments and Americana that sometimes lands in Appalachia. She also cedes some lead vocals to Rosanne Cash, Tom Jones and Rhiannon Giddens.”
Read the full article
The Wexford Carols Artists
Buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD
Download on iTunes or Amazon
The Los Angeles Times has featured THE WEXFORD CAROLS in its roundup of new holiday music releases.
“This is easily the year’s most ambitious undertaking…”
“Producer Joe Henry brings a fitting gravitas to the selections…”
You can buy THE WEXFORD CAROLS CD with its beautiful book-style packaging from the Heresy Shop – FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE.
THE WEXFORD CAROLS is also available as a digital download with a digital booklet on iTunes, Amazon, Classics Online and other digital service providers around the world.
Michael Johnson of Facts & Arts in his piece The Irish Reinvent Christmas Music has reviewed THE WEXFORD CAROLS by Caitríona O’Leary.
“You don’t have to be Irish to fall in love with music from the Emerald Isle. Yet the Christmas carols sung by Caitriona O’Leary took me by surprise and have provided the first fresh holiday feel around the house for many years. Here is a welcome alternative to the beaten-to-death seasonal music we always sing but secretly dread.”
“Ms. O’Leary recalls in the beautifully produced program notes that the recording was a “magical experience”. The musicians and crew worked late into the night, “a roomful of wonderful mutual admiration and creative energy, exploring the carols from different musical perspectives”. Instrumentation, aside from the usual Irish fiddle, cello and bass, included whistle, bones and the Irish bouzouki. The sounds captivate the ear.”
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Alain Brunet of Canadian website LA PRESSE has awarded THE WEXFORD CAROLS a 4 Star review in its 2014 roundup of Christmas music Albums de Noël: vent de nouveautés pour les Fêtes.
“The Irish singer Caitríona O’Leary chose this magnificent repertoire of “Christmas Carols” from County Wexford, published in 1684 by Luke Waddinge and in 1728 by Fr. William Devereux. Ever since, the twelve songs presented here have been sung over Christmas. The production by Joe Henry is just about perfect and features the beautiful contributions of veterans, Tom Jones and Rosanne Cash as well as the gifted folk singer Rhiannon Giddens.”
“The accompaniment from the band is impeccable as is the quality of the voices and the recording.”
Read the review (French language)
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Today’s edition of The Irish Times features an article by Tony Clayton-Lea on Heresy Record’s latest release THE WEXFORD CAROLS.
Rewind: we are in Grouse Lodge Residential Recording Studios in Co Westmeath, the month is July and the heat from the sun is of the stone-splitting variety. The reason why Sir Tom Jones (“Call me Tom, for God’s sake”), Roseanne Cash, Dónal Lunny and Joe Henry (that would be Madonna’s brother-in-law) are tucked away in a studio in broiling sunshine is for a recording of the Wexford Carols.
The current project is down to Irish singer Caitríona O’Leary, an emphatic, willowy presence around the recording studios, and the lead singer on the recording. O’Leary is known internationally for her theatrically driven performances of sean-nós, folk and early music. She first heard of the Wexford Carols about 20 years ago through Nóirín Ní Riain, an Irish singer of spiritual songs who is also an authority on Gregorian chant.
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Between 27th October and 3rd November Pandora Premieres is featuring The Wexford Carols. Pandora Premieres streams selected albums prior to their release date and gives listeners the option hear the album multiple times in any configuration one chooses and also to download the album from iTunes or Amazon.
Pandora’s streaming service is available in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
The Wexford Carols – Heresy’s new album by Caitríona O’Leary and produced by Joe Henry, features Tom Jones, Rosanne Cash, Rhiannon Giddens and an all star band and is the first recording of Ireland’s greatest Christmas music.
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