Bap Kennedy - Howl On

Belfast-born singer-songwriter, Martin (or Bap) Kennedy, has been treading the rocky boards for nigh-on 20 years having led minor hitmakers, Energy Orchard, on their unsustainable UK Top 60 debut in 1990. Once sharing a stage with mentor, Van Morrison, while also becoming buddies with alt.country boy, Steve Earle, Bap has steadily gained respect due to several albums, including Domestic Blues, Lonely Street and his last, The Big Picture.

Howl On represents his best so far, reflecting as it does, the spirit of Americana through Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid-era Dylan (eg ‘Cold War Country Blues’, ‘The Right Stuff’ and ‘The Blue One’). Featuring fellow Irishman Henry McCullough on guitar, Kennedy upbeats Hendrix’s old trad nugget, ‘Hey Joe’, a Woodstock hangover from one of Bap’s other childhood inspirations: – Neil Armstrong and the 1969 moon landing.

(Lonely Street)