Beoga
A Lovely Madness
Own label BMCD 001; 44 minutes; 2004
This young quartet from counties Antrim and Derry certainly
lives up to its name (beoga is Irish for ‘lively’) and offers the
unusual line-up of two button accordionists (one who plays guitars too),
keyboards and bodhrán, augmented by instruments as varied as fiddle, saxophone
and double bass, as well as a string quartet.
Those instrumental components should rightly suggest that A Lovely Madness is an eclectic affair. Its bedrock lies firmly within the Irish tradition, but Beoga’s own composers (the accordionists Seán Óg Graham and Damien McKee) are experimentalists at heart and keen to incorporate other genres’ nuances into their music or take a sideways glance at traditional tunes.
Thus the Prelude Polkas set contrives to suggest another dance form altogether, the tango, while later including a New Orleans-style jazz workout. The later track Funk is effectively a modern jazz hornpipe (crying out for Mary Coughlan’s vocals!) and Amsterdam Blues sees a bluesy arrangement of the same tune-form, albeit with a somewhat cod-reggae backing in places. Changes of pace are supplied in the form of two self-composed airs, but, by the time of the album’s closing set, the title track, the quartet is back to its investigative ways and tricky rhythm changes.
Both Liam Graham (keyboards) and Eamon Murray (bodhrán) provide more than sturdy support throughout and, though not every musical juxtaposition is successful, A Lovely Madness leaves an abiding impression of four strong imaginations in operation.
This
review by Geoff Wallis originally appeared in Songlines magazine – www.songlines.co.uk.
For more information about the
band visit www.beogamusic.com.