"Ships in the Forest"

So I have just made a new album. It’s called “Ships in the Forest.” I think it is by far my most ambitious album to date. I think it has taken me all my years as a singer to come to the point of feeling confidant enough to tackle this kind of material which is nearly all traditional but concentrates on the big songs within the canon of traditional repertoire.
The songs are a mixture of romantic love songs and then some more historical and political love songs which deal with Ireland’s colonial past and present. Ireland in general is going through enormous change and since moving home to what I was told was a more confident new Ireland I do feel like we have been afraid to deal head on with the horrors of our past. Or as the great poet Gearóid Mac Lochlainn would say we are now a
“.…nation glossed over
by plastic mass produced monoglot monotony
Teflon TV an’ Tubberware parties.”
While I do see the enormous benefits from the changes and do celebrate them in most aspects of my ordinary life and try not to be a stick in the mud I think we should be trying to deal with the more difficult events of our past and present in order to move into the future in a more enlightened manner. Also included are some antiwar songs something I have been harping on about for quite some time and obviously coming from my obsession with Ireland and our colonialised selves.
This is the first album I have made without the help, guidance and emotional support of Frank Harte and indeed I felt that for years Frank gave me gems of a songs which helped to mark out my albums. Many of these songs were favoured by him and indeed sung on his own fantastic album series The Hungry Voice and the 1798 collection. In many ways while I was a bit scared I do feel that I really grew up in the process of making this album. I am very aware that his presence was deep in my heart while I was singing.
I was also deeply affected by the music and approach of Caoimhín Vallely to the songs and he really went above and beyond the call of duty in helping me arrange the songs, something we started doing 2 years ago along with the broad minded musical heads of the wonderful cellist Kate Ellis and the ubiquitous Donald Shaw and of course Robbie Overson.
I was also inspired by the great singing of Áine Ó Ceallaigh and the writing of Martin Furey who I have known since I was twelve and have always thought to be one of Ireland’s finest song writers and finally as ever I am deeply inspired by the man that puts up with all my agonizing my beloved Niall Vallely.
I hope ye love and enjoy this album I would prefer if ye were enraptured by it.
It is by no means for the faint hearted but I think it’s worth a long listen.
Happy New Year and peace for 2008.

Karan Casey January 2008