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Armed with an arsenal of organic pop songs, and energised with folk/punk sensibility, Rory Faithfield is an artist for those compelled by the promise of what lies around the bend......
Rory grew up playing in garage punk bands around Sydney Australia , before leaving the 'live fast, die young' underground music scene and moving to Dublin Ireland.
Songs became the obsession. After writing and developing his craft amongst the heavily populated singer-songwriter scene in Dublin, Rory started quietly slipping off to Germany, doing solo acoustic tours, refining and expanding his repertoire with some 300 gigs during ‘96 and '97.
Following this, 1998 saw the release of his debut album, 'Rory Faithfield', licensed to Prestige Records, produced by Bill Shanley, and featuring the single, NOWHERE SOMEWHERE ANYWHERE.
Rory's attitude is best summed up, albeit tongue in cheek, on DANCE YOUR OWN DANCE. Infused with the need to bring purpose, power, knowledge, and insight, into the life that he lives, REUNION SONG reads like an open letter to his friends, and as demonstrated on UNDERSTAND NOW, Rory continues to view the world through his ever present rose coloured glasses. |
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....Songs that uplift the human spirit and encourage individualism as in "Dance your own dance and sing your own song". That's Rory Faithfield in a nutshell.....The home-grown strains of The Killjoys sparkling rootsy pop, and Luka Bloom's stadium folk for the bedroom are evident in Faithfield's passionate and earnest delivery....never has acoustic music been so resonant or so vital......a superb debut album.
John O'Regan ROCK'N'REEL Magazine 1999
The eponymous Mr Faithfield is a journeyman musician, slowly but slowly, and yes, very surely, thank you very much, he's been crafting his trade and now carving his niche.
This album is blessed with many things; a warm acoustic, yet, when called for, dynamic sound. Lyrics that have been sweated and hunched over, and tunes penned by someone who knows his way around any guitar neck. He has picked up a few good hints by gigging incessantly and absorbing the influences of other great musicians.
Like any bunch of fine songs, you'll feel like you know these songs from somewhere, but this is no stodgy retread of things that have gone before.
Kicking off with a pure jolt , 'The Awakening' gives the impression of making an announcement, the trumpets have been blown and the general air of, I have arrived, make their feel. Not a song about looking back, but one scanning the horizons of the future.
'Nowhere Somewhere Anywhere', 'Dance Your Own Dance, and 'Down The River' continue the high level set by 'The Awakening', each one having that rare immediate impact.
Dwell in the album longer though and some of the subtler songs start to leave their mark and other lyrical leitmotifs make their presence felt.
Out of Nowhere Somewhere Anywhere this is destined for the middle and the best.
Gareth Gorman, LAM Magazine, London 1998
..... Faithfield's paid his performing dues, and consequently this set is a lot less naive than many debut albums by acoustic based singer-songwriters. Part of this is due to a wonderfully sympathetic backing band - led by producer/guitarist Bill Shanley, and featuring, intriguingly, almost legendary former Bowie henchman Woody Woodmansey on drums - but much of this is a result of Faithfield's winning way with a tune, and his raw yet still espresso-rich voice.
Don't come expecting anything new , mind: this is straight ahead, four chord acoustic rock with nary a twist in sight from start to finish. However, with singer-songwriters of faithfield's ilk 10 a penny in these strangely confessional '90s, it's refreshing and rather rare to find one who actually seems to know what he is doing.....
......this is really rather promising, remember where you heard it first.
Will Fulford-Jones, TNT Magazine, London, November 1998
....catch yourself singing along to any number of user friendly choruses , or from an old romantic point of view, indulge your heart with the outstandingly beautiful 'Forsake' or 'Fallen', which have a mellowness and passion reminiscent of days gone by in Ireland....
There is no doubting Faithfield's talent as a songwriter, and if this is the birth then I can only look forward to the coming of age.
Evangeline Porter, Capital Live, London, December 1998
... the twelve songs are an almost perfect showcase for the emerging major talent that is Rory Faithfield.
Pete Smith, Sounds Country, November 1998 |
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Location:
Dublin, Ireland
Rory Faithfield Website
faithfield@hotmail.com
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