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Casey Neill
Casey Neill
Casey Neill
Genres: Country, Folk, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1

Casey Neill is a rough-edged rocker with a passion for music from deep in the traditional vein. With a passion for the environment, strong communities, and social justice, he is a songwriter performer of the same spirit as...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Casey Neill
Title: Casey Neill
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Appleseed Records
Original Release Date: 4/21/1998
Release Date: 4/21/1998
Genres: Country, Folk, Pop
Styles: Bluegrass, Classic Country, Traditional Folk, Contemporary Folk, Singer-Songwriters
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 611587101921

Synopsis

Album Description
Casey Neill is a rough-edged rocker with a passion for music from deep in the traditional vein. With a passion for the environment, strong communities, and social justice, he is a songwriter performer of the same spirit as Billy Bragg and Dick Gaughan, and a carrier of the traditions of Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs. "Casey Neill", Neill's new CD, is, in his words, a "personal take on political music." The album, which is his first for Appleseed Recordings, features 10 original songs and a cover of Ewan MacColl's "Manchester Rambler." Tucked at the end is an incisive hidden track called "Taking Back the Music." It's a pointed and barbed rock/punk rap that includes one of the most quotable lines we've heard in a long time: "Beavis and Butthead is a self-fulfilling prophecy." Recorded in analog at Crow Studios in Seattle, "Casey Neill" features the playing of upright bassist Cary Black, Irish fiddler Martin Hayes, Hanz Araki of Celt-rockers The Paperboys on flute and whistle, hand percussionist Dave White, guitar player (and tunesmith) extraordinaire Jim Page, and others backing up Casey's songs. Zak Borden co-produced the disc, and also adds octave mandolin, queca, bodhran, and mandolin to the project. The arrangements range from slow acoustic ballads, to rowdy rock 'n' reel with a full band. While the songs are contemporary originals, they are heavily influenced by the sound, melodies, and emotion of traditional music. Neill's guitar playing travels from percussive attack to slow finger style, with the occasional flatpickin' of a fiddle tune. The most striking element of this eponymous CD are Neill's gritty vocals. They are influenced by training in the ornamental Irish sean-nos (old style) singing, and his voice indeed sounds like it comes from another place and time. Neill is also featured on Appleseed Recordings' Pete Seeger celebration album - "Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger, Vol. 1." Not surprisingly, Neill performs "Old Father Hudson" and "Sailing Down My Dirty Stream", two of Seeger's songs about the environmental abuse of New York's Hudson River. Of Neill's performance of these songs, Seeger wrote, "To me, Casey's interpretation is one of the best; I feel the passion in his singing."
 

CD Reviews

What could come after Riff Raff
12/07/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm only giving Casey 4 out of 5 for this one, just because Riff Raff has to be my all-time favorite given its punkier aspects. These later CDs "Casey Neill" and "Skree" are also lovely, moving me to tears on occasion. I just caught a live CD recording concert of the Casey Neill Trio and I promise you, you'll have more fun stuff to enjoy. Not only did Casey do a stirring cover of "I'm on Fire" but he also re-did some of his own tunes, showing his maturity as a person and a musician. Go ahead and stare, we are everywhere!"
I had never seen a mosh pit to an accoustic set before...
ih8dnet@unm.edu | Albuquerque, NM | 02/18/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"well, the mosh pit happened at the Free Arcata Festival, a gathering of activists, anarchists, political hippies (they still exist, yes), and the album that had just come out by Casey was "Riffraff" which has a more rockin' tempo than this one. I would describe his music as between Seeger and the Pogues, and have seen shows that he has played that pleased hippies and punks alike."
Absolute Must Buy! Topical and Traditional Magic
ih8dnet@unm.edu | 12/25/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whatever you call it, it's great!Casey's music is more and more rooted in traditional folks styles of the Isles, but you can still hear the punk-rocker in some of his music. An Earth First! movement original, Casey's music is challenging stuff - very emotional - and in some cases - very political in its willingness to confront power with song.Dance on the Ruins of Multinational Corporations"