{"id":772,"date":"2012-10-18T23:00:46","date_gmt":"2012-10-18T19:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fredsrecords.com\/site\/?post_type=product&p=772"},"modified":"2012-10-19T21:43:02","modified_gmt":"2012-10-19T18:13:02","slug":"allan-ricketts-rivers","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.fredsrecords.com\/site\/shop\/allan-ricketts-rivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Allan Ricketts – Rivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Allan initially broke into the traditional music scene in St. John\u2019s he wasn\u2019t old enough to a have drink at the venues he played. His skill at the time was incredible for someone of such a young age. The amazing thing about him now is the rate at which he has progressed and the impression he has made on the music community in such a short time. “Rivers”, Allan\u2019s second release, is an absolute accomplishment regardless of his age. Allan\u2019s attention to detail and his penchant for maintaining the traditional authenticity of this collection of songs is evident on this record. He brings an obviously Irish flare to the tunes and echoes of legendary Irish acts such as Planxty<\/strong>, The Bothy Band<\/strong>, Andy Irvine<\/strong> and Paul Brady<\/strong> can be heard throughout. This tip of the hat is not a borrowing but rather a tasteful homage to influences that have governed and informed Alan\u2019s vocal and instrumental styles. One of Allan\u2019s most endearing qualities is his voice. He is a young man but sings with a brogue, timbre and delivery well beyond his years. His voice is the kind you earn after a lifetime of living the stories that his songs relay. It\u2019s remarkable to hear and producer Kalem Mahoney<\/strong> (The Monday Nights) captures the essence and untrained and honest vitality of Allan\u2019s vocal wonderfully on “Rivers”. Aside from his voice, Allan is also a gifted multi-instrumentalist. With an affinity for stringed instruments, Allan\u2019s strumming and picking is very well executed and some of the triplet playing on the octave mandolin and banjo are reminiscent of some of Andy Irvine\u2019s work. Another impressive element of the record is the who\u2019s who of traditional musicians present on the album. From Pamela Morgan<\/strong>, Dave Panting<\/strong>, Mike Hanrahan<\/strong> and Duane Andrews<\/strong> to Fergus O\u2019Byrne<\/strong> and Graham Wells<\/strong>, this record is loaded with our finest players. “Rivers” is simply a great album. It has a cadence and flow that is instantly pleasing. It also insures the continuance of the fine Irish tradition that has been such an integral part of Newfoundland\u2019s musical mosaic. <\/p>\n