Elder Roche released this, his debut album, to widespread acclaim in 2009. He entered the Rising Stars competition the same year and is back again this year to entertain us with his powerful musical lyricism.
The album “Nobody Knows” received bucket loads of attention and positive reviews from the Irish press and it’s easy to see why. Elder Roche is like a modern day Irish bard. His melodies and instrumental choices are well thought out and compliment his poetic folksy lyrics. His song “Diamond” contains more alliteration in its verses than Beowulf, but it works. Elder tries to engage his listener not just with instrumental sounds but also with emphasizing the sound of the word’s themselves like “Calling from this coal mine comes a cowering call”.
What surprised me more about this album is his use of a piano accordion. Now, I don’t know about you, but my experiences of these… ‘wonderful’ instruments drag up memories of marching school bands and the beleaguered butchering of the fine Irish classic “Fainne Gael on Lae”. Elder seems to test the water with this instrument by giving its bellowing keys a platform in about two tracks out of the twelve. Luckily for him he just manages to pull it off giving it a subtle independence beneath his mellow wholesome accent. It’s given an elegant Frenchy feel in “Figures Dressed in Black”. Judging by the lyrics, I wonder if the song is a tribute to this “broken instrument”. I guess only Elder himself can answer that question.
He is clearly a man of many talents with instruments galore occupying the musical spaces of his album. He’s credited for playing vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica and… the accordion. These and many other stringed instruments give the album the depth and texture it deserves. Elder is a true wordsmith with a captivating voice as well as lyrics, who, I’d imagine, has put vast amounts of work and energy into thid his debut album. If anyone can evidently sex-up an accordion, it’s Elder Roche. I still prefer the piano version of Spinning Wheel on YouTube mind you… really beautiful.
Favorite tracks: “Diamond”, “Dark Place”, “Flowering Flame” and “Spinning Wheel”.
Rating: 9/10
Ha , cool photo !