Mike Donaghy & Border Crossing - No One Can Hear Me

Mike Donaghy & Border Crossing - No.One Can Hear Me

8/10

You certainly do from time to time meet people in unusual places, I first met Mike in the back row of a church, we introduced ourselves & had a coffee though ot all on the same day..

Several years later here I am sitting on my sofa with the sounds of Mikes new cd with his band Border Crossing filling the room. No One Can Hear Me, a mammoth value for money 14 track cd, is the follow up the Mikes I Wish You Well debut offering.

It has to be said Mike Donaghy is a folk singer, but then again there's something for me that is universal about his sound. Mikes music has a broad appeal, people relate to these songs.

In April at a fundraising gig Mike was playing at I'm sure only myself &'one other had heard of Mike Donaghy... when he recently played the Black Box to launch this CD I was easily able to round up a group of 20 people from that charity gig to go who are now fans...He has that sort of drawing power

No One Can Hear Me is an album that to me seems to be filled with longing, it also has a sense of belonging, there are songs here that give you that warm feeling of hone but in the middle of all this we have the fun songs like He Drinks Whiskey a great wee folk stomper full of life and certainly gets the feet going about the alleged antics of a Border Crossing member & The Flood a comical story of trying to get to America.

The album kicks of with the almost latter day Springsteenesque sound of Peace Begins With Me a song I personally love...another particular favourite is what seems to be a bit if a different sound for Mike almost a delta blues with hint of folk feel to the title track.

The overall sound & feel of this album is grounded in what Mike does best, ballads. Although writing that just doesn't do it justice...

Mike is very ably backed by the wonderful musicians of Border Crossing whether its the dependable backbone of the bass, those beautiful whistles or the fiddle or an array of other instruments all blend beautiful with Mikes guitar to create one of my favourite cd of the year so far. Mike appears to be a very chilled, laid back sort of a guy an that certainly comes through on this release...

All in all Mike Donaghy & Border Crossing are worth checking out...

In fact you can do it here

https://www.facebook.com/bordercrossingband

Tracks

1. Peace Begins With Me

2. This Is Where I Call My Hone

3. No One Can Hear Me

4. Love Birds

5. Seven Seas

6. Walls For The Wind

7. He Drinks Whiskey

8. I Am Not Afraid

9. You Won't Be Around Hear Anymore

10. Look On And Cry

11. All In Your Hands

12. The Flood

13. Sun Will Rise

14. The Parting Glass

Mark Reid