Recording and production
It was produced by Ged Foley and Patrick Street, and recorded at the following studios: * Peach Fork Studios,Critical reception
''Street Life'' received positive reviews from folk music critics. In Green Man Review, Pat Simmonds said the following: *"A cursory glance through the running order reveals a list of tunes common enough to the tradition, yet typically for Patrick Street the versions are lesser known and arranged with a beautiful easygoing feel which gives them both a sense of familiarity and a new breath of life." *"This album seems almost irrelevant given the modern Celticisms of the brave new wave but these old hands weave through a variety of styles with assurity and utter authority." *"The individual maturity of each player shines through clearly as does the sophistication of the arrangements. Ultimately, nothing gets in the way of the music. There isn't a note out of place and the pacing of the tunes comes like a breath of fresh air." *"The production qualities give a warm and personal feel to the music which result in a very satisfying listening experience." In a review for Roots World, Jamie O'Brien stated: *"The 10 tracks are evenly split between songs and instrumentals; and the mix in material - traditional and contemporary, well-known and lesser-heard - is also well-balanced." *"Patrick Street provides an instrumental cross-section of rhythms. From the opening set of jigs, through a set of reels, then later, hornpipes until the band hits a set of Kerry slides and polkas before ending the album with a jig and pair of reels." *"The arrangements have a diversity that allows the individual musicianship to come through, yet still maintain a distinctive group sound. The production, while clean and crisp, is warm and mellow." *"On the one hand, there is no album by Patrick Street that I don't like. On the other, I tend to play the earlier ones much more frequently than the later releases. ''Street Life'' heralds a change. Time will tell, but I think they've possibly released a classic with this one." In his review for Rambles, Nicky Rossiter added that: *"The wide appeal of the group may be gathered from their travels. This particular CD was recorded in Ohio, Kildare, New York and Oregon. It opens with a set of traditional jigs that will set you in the mood for the album." *"They return to the Irish landscape and the traditional for "Green Grow the Laurels." The vocals are beautiful on this song of loss and longing with a quiet delivery that seems so sincere. Alongside these vocal offerings you get hornpipes, jigs, reels, slides and polkas on this excellent album." *"The lyrics are included and there are nice liner notes on the origins of the songs or how the band members found them." *"This is a very valuable addition to any Irish music collection." In a review for Allmusic, Gregory McIntosh concluded: *"As always, the musicianship between the four members of Patrick Street is impeccable, the songs are well-recorded, and the occasional contemporary songs fit in nicely with the central traditional material." *"Overall, ''Street Life'' is a nice extension to the Patrick Street catalog, but necessary only to collectors, as the album breaks little new ground for the band."Track listing
# "Saddle the Pony"/"The Boys of the Town"/"The Frost is All Over" (jigs) (Traditional; arranged by Patrick Street) – 3:37 # "Barna Hill" (song) (words: Traditional, music: Andy Irvine) – 4:27 # "The Old Reel"/"Drowsy Maggie"/"Kay Girroir" (reels) (Traditional; arranged by Patrick Street) – 4:11 # "If We Had Built a Wall" (song) (Dominic Madden, Burke & Foley) – 3:53 # "Down in Matewan"/"Lost Indian" (song) (Andy Irvine, Traditional) – 4:27 # "Down By The Old Fairy Fort"/"The Whistler and His Dog" (hornpipes) (Traditional; arranged by Patrick Street) – 4:03 # "The Diamantina Drover" (song) (Hugh MacDonald) – 5:32 # "Art O'Keefe's"/"Forget Your Troubles"/"Joe Bane's"/"Kiskeam" (slides & polkas) (Traditional; arranged by Patrick Street) – 5:22 # "Green Grows the Laurel" (song) (Traditional, Andy Irvine) – 4:19 # "King of the Pipers"/"Free and Easy"/"The House on the Hill"/"O'Keefe's" (Traditional/Traditional/Joe Thomas/Traditional)Personnel
* Andy Irvine - vocals, mandolin,References
External links