Domestic Blues was the first solo album from Northern IrelandâÂÂbased singer-songwriter, Bap Kennedy, and was released in 1998. The album was generally well-received, with allmusic calling it "an exceptionally intelligent recording" and Uncut saying that "[Domestic Blues is] a fine collection of songs" and reached number 8 in the billboard Americana chart
Recording
The album was recorded in Nashville, TN. Kennedy had received a phone call from country music legend Steve Earle inviting him to come to Nashville and record an album, to be released on Earle's short-lived record label E-squared. The album was produced by Earle and Ray Kennedy, and featured several renowned session musicians, such as Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Bap Kennedy; except where noted.
- "Long Time a Comin'" â 2:38
- "The Way I Love Her" â 3:30
- "Unforgiven" â 3:37
- "Domestic Blues" â 2:57
- "I've Fallen in Love" â 3:21
- "Vampire" â 2:36
- "Angel Is the Devil" (Steve Earle) â 2:50
- "The Backroom" â 3:20
- "Mostly Water" â 3:20
- "The Ghosts of Belfast" â 2:51
- "My Money" â 3:15
- "The Shankill and the Falls" â 2:46
UK Special Edition version
The album was re-released in a "special edition" form in the UK in 2000. The special edition had a different album cover, featuring a photograph of Kennedy's mother as a child, and contained two extra tracks, "Lowlife" and "Dream of You". The latter included Kennedy playing the Ewan MacColl song "Dirty Old Town" as a hidden track.
Personnel
Musicians
- Bap Kennedy â acoustic guitar and vocals on all tracks
- Roy Huskey, Jr. â upright bass on all tracks
- Peter Rowan â mandolin on all tracks except 2, 4, 5 and 14 backing vocals on tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 and 11, mandola on track 2, classical guitar on tracks 3, 5 and 14
- Jerry Douglas â dobro on all tracks except 4, 10 and 13, lap steel on tracks 4, 10, 12 and 13
- Steve Earle â acoustic guitar on all tracks except 3, 8 and 10, High-string guitar on track 2, archtop guitar, on track 2, 12-string guitar on tracks 3, 8 and 10, backing vocals on tracks 4 and 6
- Larry Atamanuik â drums and percussion on all tracks except 4, 8, 9 and 12, Hammond organ on track 9
- Michael Smotherman â Hammond B-3 organ on track 3, drums on track 8
- Nancy Blake â cello on tracks 5 and 12, fiddle on track 7
- Ray Kennedy â backing vocals on track 5
- Nanci Griffith â backing vocals on tracks 2 10 and 12
- Keith Weir â piano on tracks 6, 7 and 11
- Dan Gillis â tin whistle on track 10
- Paul Guerin â lead guitar on tracks 13 and 14
Production
(Please note that this Hank Williams is of no relation to the singer-songwriter Hank Williams)
- Alan Messer â Photography
References