Back in 2000 Bap Kennedy released an album called Lonely Street, which has gradually become one of my favourite albums of recent times. All the songs were either about, or very much influenced by, Elvis Presley and Hank Williams. Bap demonstrated an ability to write about such incredibly famous artists from a unique angle, and in doing so bringing new and different perspectives to their lives e.g. on the song Gladys and Vernon, he writes from the point of view of Elvis' mother as she wonders what will become of her poor little boy, the twin baby that lived.
One of Lonely Street's songs, Moonlight Kiss, brought Bap some of the reward and recognition he so clearly deserved when it was used on the soundtrack of the film Serendipity.
His latest album The Sailor's Revenge sees Bap taking another bunch of excellent songs into the studio, this time with Mark Knopfler as producer. The obvious respect his peers have for his talents isn't a new thing, with luminaries such as Herbie Flowers, Shane MacGowan and Van Morrison no less, having worked on previous albums.
This is a really easy album to listen to, as Bap and Knopfler combine to produce a laidback, nostalgia-tinged set of Irish folk tunes. Just occasionally I wanted them to kick out and up the tempo a little. And some of Bap's ability to intrigue in his lyrical approach isn't quite what it was on Lonely Street. Perhaps he needs that inspiration of a unique theme or angle to inspire? I don't know and I am probably doing him a mighty injustice in comparing this to the earlier album as there is nothing fundamentally less than excellent about The Sailor's Revenge - it just doesn't grab me in quite the same way. I guess albums like Lonely Street only come along so often. That's the bloody point after all!
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