"Strong In The Sun" by TIR na n’OG (November 2012 UK Esoteric Recordings ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Reissue - Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Most Magical…"

Being a Dubliner I instantly knew what "Tir na n'Og" referred to. Translated it's Gaelic for "Land Of The Young" (locally pronounced Tier Nah Nogue). We had the old stories rammed down our willing throats in History class in school. It comes from the ancient Irish tales of warrior king Ossian (or Oisin in Gaelic).

I've had this Prog-Folk duo's third and final studio album "Strong In The Sun" (issued October 1973) on original UK vinyl for decades now as well as the other two they did - "Tir na n'Og" from May 1971 and "A Tear And A Smile" from April 1972 (see separate reviews) and loved them all to bits. Formed in Dublin in 1970 - guitarists and singers Sonny Condell and Leo O'Kelly made a lovely racket and gathered fans far and wide very quickly – supporting Jethro Tull on high profile tours. I even followed Sonny Condell (one part of the duo) when he teamed up with Phillip King and Greg Bolland to form SCULLION in Ireland in the late Seventies – a fantastically eclectic and musical band who put out about five albums – the second of which "Balance And Control" was produced by none other than John Martyn in 1980 on WEA Ireland.

Speaking of Island Records connections – originally recorded by Tony Cox at Sound Techniques Studios in London – the spiritual home of other Island Records Folk-Rock luminaries like John Martyn, Fairport Convention and Nick Drake – Tir na n’Og’s "Strong In The Sun" even opened with a rare Nick Drake cover version - "Free Ride" from ND’s third and last album "Pink Moon" in 1972 (the booklet incorrectly states that the Irish Duo were the first to cover any of his material while he was alive – but it was Alexis Korner who did "Saturday Sun" on his “Alexis Korner” debut album for RAK Records in July 1971 (SRAK 501)). As it turned out neither of the Chrysalis bosses Chris Wright and Terry Ellis (their names combined gave us the soundalike Chrysalis label) were enamoured with what they heard and ordered the album to be completely re-recorded – roping in Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum and EMI’s legendary Beatles Engineer Geoff Emerick to do the re-record deed. You can sure hear the polish on this Remastered CD – gorgeous Audio quality throughout. To the music at hand...

UK released November 2012 - "Strong In The Sun" by TIR na n'OG on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC2351 (Barcode 5013929435148) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with One Bonus Track that plays out as follows (42:49 minutes):

1. Free Ride [Side 1]

2. Whitestone Bridge

3. Teeside

4. Cinema

5. Strong In The Sun

6. The Wind Was High [Side 2]

7. In The Morning

8. Love Lost

9. Most Magical

10. Fall Of Day

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd and final studio album “Strong In The Sun” - released 26 October 1973 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1047 (CHR 1047 in the USA also). Produced by MATTHEW FISHER (of Procol Harum) – it didn’t chart in either country.

BONUS TRACK:

11. The Mountain And I

Track 11 is the Non-Album B-side of the September 1973 UK 7" single for “Strong In The Sun” on Chrysalis CHS 2016

TIR na n’OG was:

SONNY CONDELL – Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Jew’s harp and Pottery Drums

LEO O’KELLY – Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Dulcimer and Violin

Guests:

Matthew Fisher (of Procol Harum) – Keyboards (also Producer)

Brian Ogders (of Sweet Thursday and Apollo 100) – Bass

Dave Markee (of Centipede) – Bass

Jim Ryan – Bass

Jeff Jones (of Wild Turkey), Barry De Souza and Ace Follington– Drums 

The 8-page booklet features liner notes by noted writer and music-biz legend TREVOR BOYD reproducing a trade newspaper advert (probably the New Musical Express) for a tour with Bridget St. John (she was doing early promotion her forthcoming “Jumble Queen” LP) as well as a Chrysalis Records black and white promo photo of the hairy duo.

The new remaster has been handled by PASCHAL BYRNE at The Audio Archiving Company in London using original master tapes and is truly gorgeous - crystal clear acoustic instruments with warmth and clarity on every track. It really is a fantastic job done.

While the debut album was Half-Folk/Half Prog (with Tyrannosaurus Rex hippy overtones) - this 2nd LP showed a huge improvement in the song-writing department and was accompanied by a really beautiful TONY COX production. It also saw a definite Tir na n'Og sound emerging too (like an older version of Glen Hansard of The Frames or music from the film "Once"). Album three only progressed that further – though in my opinion it’s the less adorned tracks that work best and not the highly polished ones like "Whitestone Bridge" where the ‘bigger band’ vibe feels ever so slightly forced. Not so for the absolutely mesmerizing Sonny Condell acoustic ballad "Teeside" – simple and beautiful – ebb-tide carrying his love away – leaning into the North wind...

"Cinema" (Leo O’Kelly tune) features an early use of samples – dialogue from some Henry Fonda western – the acoustic and piano strum sounding like The La's a full decade before the event – while it's easy to see why Chrysalis chose his "Strong In The Sun" as the lead-off 45 a month before the album hit the shops in October 1973 (Chrysalis CHS 2016) – pretty 'coming to stay with me' melody and a catchy 'we're gonna be free' chorus. Actually I think the Condell non-album B-side "The Mountain And I" is equally cool if not even better.

One of the album’s highlights is undoubtedly the Side 2 opener "The Wind Was High" – a typically light-as-a-feather love song by Leo O’Kelly - TIR na n'OG weaving their vocal/acoustic magic – a tune imbibed with a kind of Irish longing that feels both joyful and sad at one and the same time. The very Leonard Cohen sounding "In The Morning" started out as an October 1969 Irish 7" single on Song Records SO 0004 - the non-album B-side to "Like" by the oddly-named 'Tramcarr 88'  – a band that featured Condell and his cousin John Roberts (Roberts wrote the A – while Condell wrote the flip). TIR na n'OG upgrade the song to better production values thereby bring out its pretty melody. Although it feels like an early run for the sound Scullion made - I never really liked "Lost Love" – too forced. Far better is the two Condell finishers - "Most Magical" and "Fall Of Day" where TIR na n'OG begin to sound like a force to be reckoned with – the first a rapid acoustic romp with the second a mid-tempo number with fantastic harmony vocals.

After they split in 1974 – Condell of TIR na n'OG morphed in the late Seventies in the affectionately remembered three-piece SCULLION (Sonny Condell, Phillip King and Greg Bolland) who made 5 albums in Ireland including the fab "Balance And Control" in 1980 produced by the mighty JOHN MARTYN (only recently reissued on CD by Prog Temple). There was a CD issued October 2001 in the UK called "Spotlight" on Hux Records HUX 021 (Barcode 682970000213) that contained April 1972 to October 1973 live BBC Recordings featuring roughly half of the songs from "Strong In The Sun" and more. Condell even made a CD album in 2013 - whilst the fondly remembered TIR na n'OG sport their own rather good Prog Folk website for deeper diving.

TIR na n'OG would definitely be an acquired taste for some. This 3rd outing is not all genius for sure - but for me there was always something magical in those hooks and songs – tunes like "Teeside" and "Fall Of Day".

And now their (land of the young) albums have the properly beautiful sounding remasters their catalogue has always deserved. Dig in – I envy you the journey...