‘Yana’s’ Desert Island Album
TO choose one album to take with you to a desert island seems like an almost impossible task. Especially for somebody like myself who loves music more than anything. I narrowed the selection down to a few key albums I keep going back to and finally chose the one: Sunshowers by J Eoin.
J Eoin is an Irish singer/songwriter and guitarist who lived in London for a few decades before moving back to his native Limerick in southwest of Ireland. His distinctive guitar playing and remarkable voice come across straight away in everything he does. A seasoned musician who knows his trade inside out, he has a soothing voice that calms you down when you need it the most. I am hugely biased here because he is a dear friend and someone I have a deep respect for but this is also the reason why I want the world to know about his work.
The album opens with If Time is the River, a track that feels like a trad song but is not. A delicate song laced with romance, this is surely something for the romantic souls among the listeners. J Eoin’s vocal makes you feel he’s singing just for you. And you believe every word he says. In every song.
The next track, Tower of Ivory, is another personable track with an intimate feel.
The title track, Sunshowers, seems to depict the Irish weather in my opinion. You often get all the seasons in one day over there. The song carries an aura of nostalgia, remembering the carefree childhood. Great example of J Eoin’s storytelling.
As a language lover who has been trying to learn the Irish language for a long time, I feel it’s a pity J Eoin doesn’t sing more as Gaeilge.
Bier Mi O is an old song and tells a story of a man who has lost his gift for music in his loneliness and longing for the woman he loves, until she said her destiny was with him. When you hear the melody, you can picture the years this song has been around.
Corners in the Rain has always been my favourite even though its subject is a dark one. It was written in a memory of victims of terrorist attacks in Norway in 2011. J Eoin used to play in Norway for quite some time and used to have a band there called Murray Well. This track isn’t plaintive as you might think but the lyrics do the work. The vivid imagery they present in all the songs shows the experience of the artist, all the years honing his craft and sharing it on stages all over the world.
Untitled War Song is an intriguing title, don’t you think? It tends to comment on the fact there have been so many songs written on that topic, as he sings “no one needs another great song telling us what’s right and wrong”. Unfortunately, given current events in Ukraine, this song seems to be more relevant than ever. Lines such as “when the dust has blown and settled, we mourn the loss and grieve as one,” are bone-chilling.
The live recording of The Colour of Light sums up everything we mentioned above. The musicianship combined with J Eoin’s engaging and warm personality make this a fitting number to close the album.
Sunshowers present just one example of what J Eoin is capable of. Versatile talent not afraid of diving into different genres.
CONNECT WITH YANA: Yana – Singer / songwriter from Czech Republic (yanamusic.eu)
