Rare Hunger, A

Storyteller and singer/harpist Nick Hennessey shows himself to be a double threat with Rare Hunger. Not only is he an excellent interpreter of traditional song, he's also a gifted songwriter who brings plenty of emotion to pieces like "Falling Sun" and "The River," an ode to the Colorado River from a trip to the U.S. He stamps his own style on "Annachie Gordon," which is associated with Nic Jones, "Donal Og," "Hermit's Song" (an ancient Irish lyric), and the standout, "Lord Franklin," with its bleak, almost surreal lyric. His harp playing is fairly spare, but serves well behind his voice, and Sherry Robinson's cello on some tracks fills things out with great imagination. His interpretations aren't limited to old songs, though; he does a superb job on contemporary material by a number of writers, notably the opener "Balor," which he performs unaccompanied -- a daring way to begin an album, but it works. On the basis of this, Hennessey is a talent who deserves to be watched. ~ Chris Nickson|