http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=13009Although UK-based multi-instrumentalist and Uilleann pipes virtuoso Troy Donockley has toured with Nightwish, Mostly Autumn and Status Quo, fans of those bands may not necessarily warm to the man's solo material. But open-minded listeners are encouraged to start with Messages, a compilation of material from Donockley's three solo albums: The Unseen Stream, The Pursuit of Illusion and The Madness of Crowds.
Half of the 10 songs here are instrumentals with plenty of New Age references. (Is "New Age" still even a relevant term?) The rest run the gamut from choral arrangements in "Fragment" to the lovely and cinematic female-sung "Now, Voyager," featuring an odd spoken-word middle section. The best track, "Orkahaugr," also is the longest one, and it comes from 2009's The Madness of Crowds. Featuring a more traditional song structure with a world-music flavor and extended electric guitar and Uilleann pipes solos, the song boasts a running time of 11 minutes, allowing it to go off in unexpected directions.
Messages could have used some liner notes, and it probably has a limited audience. But it's also the perfect introduction to the solo works of a man whom many listeners have no doubt heard before — whether they knew it or not.
Track Listing:
1) Sights
2) For Him Who Will Never Return
3) Now, Voyager
4) Fragment
5) Orkahaugr
6) Finlandia
7) Dunmail Rising
8) Pursuit of Illusion
9) Tunnels
10) The Procession
Check out Troy's Artist Page at Gonzo
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