The title of this album is deliberately self-deprecating but did not prepare me for its undoubted quality. Ciaran “Brownie” Guinan is a member of a well-known musical family from Ferbane, County Offaly, and this is his second solo outing, consisting of a mixture of original material and songs from the local archives. It’s a very strong collection of songs, inspired by his deep connection with his local area. He has an attractive vocal style, always relaxed and never forced, and opens the album with Shannon Harbour Home, an ode to his mother’s home place. The music on this is contemporary and beautifully played, with saxophone and pedal steel to the fore. He also adapts traditional songs, either sticking faithfully to the original as on The Fields Around Ferbane or giving them a fresh treatment on The Turfman from Turraun with some bluesy banjo to the fore, or The Ballad of Barry Lowe, from a poem written by the late Tony Holleran with an up-tempo country-rock treatment.

He has assembled a fine collection of musicians with producer Des Sheerin at the helm. Some of the playing is really top-class, notably pedal steel and electric guitars (Jonathon Milligan), and saxophone (John Byrne), which adds a lot to the listening experience. The Boora Railway Line has some lovely lead guitar by Willie Kiernan, with more than a passing nod to Mark Knopfler. There’s plenty of humour in songs like Cloghan Traffic Lights and That’s Your Mouldboard Baby. The Town I left Behind breathes new life into the old Johnny McEvoy classic.

The Rose of Ballinahown is a lovely treatment of a poem by the late John M. Doyle, whose lyrics provided Ciaran with great inspiration; here, keyboards (Ray McLaughlin) and low whistle (John Byrne) intertwine beautifully. The closing track is an expansive homage to his hometown – The Town of Ferbane is a lyrical master class incorporating an international cast of characters. A really delightful album full of unexpected gems.

Mark Lysaght,
Irish Music Magazine