Barbara Cassidy Band
Album: Flyaway
Label: Suspicious Motives
Tracks: 6
Website: http://www.barbaracassidyband.com

"Fly Away" sees the Barbara Cassidy Band follow up their 2012 debut album, "Leaving Things The Way I Found Them" with a new EP/mini album, that draws influence from the worlds of both folk and country, combining songs that originated from within the band, with their interpretations of a couple of traditional songs.

Primarily a three piece consisting of Barbara, Eric Cassidy, who also produced the album, and bassist Bob Nieske, "Fly Away" sees them bringing in a series of guest musicians to help emphasise the differences across their sound, something particularly noticeable on the transition from the folk orientated title track, based on the Icarus legend, to the countryesque "I Ran Out Of Innocence".

The songs on "Suspicious Motives" are very much focused in the story telling tradition, pulling them into an acoustic orientated genre most suited to that particular story. The songs are clear and eloquently delivered, but for me, just a little too much on the sweet side, not quite enough bite.

Neil King