Track Listing

1. Negative Vibes
2. Ghosts of Overdoses
3. It�s All Good
4. Factories
5. Jar Song
6. Celtic Tiger
7. Apple of my Eye
8. Industrial School
9. Great Gaels of Ireland
10. Marching Season Siege
11. Seize the Day

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24176 in Music
• Released on: 2004-05-10
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
Having gone platinum in his native Ireland, 'Seize The Day'is the debut UK release from singer/songwriter Damien Dempsey. Produced by John Reynolds (Sinead O'Connor, Natacha Atlas) the album is a mix of Irish folk, reggae, rap and Dempsey's unique vocals. The album also includes the single 'Negative Vibes'.

Customer Reviews

Now I've Got A Reason...
I first came across Damien's (hereafter referred to as Damo) name when my brother told me a tale of a party he'd been at where a young Irish singer sang a song he'd written called the "Celtic Tiger". Next my brother sent me a copy of this CD after eulogising about it for weeks. I put it on while doing the washing up one afternoon, listened and thought "well...it's OK".

Then, following another brotherley earbending on the subject of Damo's genius, I sat down with headphones and the lyric book and...SLAM...suddenley a whole other view on this record opened up. Brutally honest lyrics, melodies that jammed themselves into your sub-concious that you would find yourself humming 3 days later thinking "what the hell is that ?" and all sung by a man not afraid to deliver all this in his own, very Irish, accent and upsetting a few applecarts along the way, but only because he's honest.

This record starts with "Negative Vibes" demand not to let yourself be brow beaten by other peoples criticisms and then proceeds to sweep through anger, the despair of drug addiction, the problems being caused by the exploding Irish economy and sectarianism, taking in some lighthearted nights with great Irish writers and musicians along the way and not forgetting the singers love of New York City before ending on a note of optimism with the title track. The first four songs form such a perfect quartet and "Factories" is quite possibly the greatest song I have ever heard.

We've been to see Damo play three times recently and each time has re-inforced my view that what I'm hearing is some of the most important music I've heard since the summer of '77.

beats, melody and killer lyrics
okay - it takes a bit of getting used to... normal Northsiders (i.e. non-Mount Templer's) don't often get a world stage to express themselves... but give it a while and D.'s voice, tunes and lyrics will creep into your soul.

frignteninly honest, visceral and thought provoking - raw social commentary combined with an appreciation of simply everyday beauty - though the sunset is over St. Donagh's take some zen-mind to really enjoy - and as for the stars never playing the cellar bar - I wouldn't even drink in it ;-))

Howth Juncion also carried me away...

5 star quality
There have been very few occasions where I have been utterly blown away by music in the way I was when I first heard Damien Demspey play live. It was like standing in a force nine gale of pure energy. He has a raw talent in his songwriting that makes him quite unique and there is a real honesty to his lyrics too, bordering on the naieve sometimes but that only adds to uplifting vibe of the CD.
A tenner is a pittance for something this good.