Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mind blowing., 5 Sep 2005
There can be few wrods to describe an album like this. Mind numbingly awe inspiring is all I can think of. The composition of this album equals The Unseen Stream, which is, in my opinion one of the major albums in NeoCelt at the moment. While many may point to Troy contributing more to Iona, I must say, I find his work here to be at some of his greatest peices.A must have.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Troy Donockley, 28 Sep 2005
By A Customer
Troy Donockley has built up a formidable reputation as both a Composer/Arranger and Musician/Performer and as a leading virtuoso of the Uilleann Pipes.
He has had his orchestral work performed in venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and Glasgow Concert Hall with soloists as illustrious as Maire Brennan (Clannad) and Lesley Garrett.
Born in Cumbria into a musical family, his musical journey has taken many diverse cultural turns, all within a focused plan to compose music of uncompromised integrity and passion. All join to create something very individual and very real...
His first album "The Unseen Stream" released in 1998, was critically acclaimed globally for its unique fusion of Traditional/Classical forms.
His new album "The Pursuit of Illusion" continues to push the boundaries with a highly individual blend of the English Classical and Irish Folk traditions. Music from both albums has been used in Film/TV all over the world inc BBC1, BBC2, C4, Discovery and CNN.
Troy has performed and is known all over the place - Europe, Middle/Far East, Australia, Japan, USA and has recorded with various other artists such as Clannad, Maddy Prior (he has co-produced her last four albums), Roy Harper, Alan Stivell, Del Amitri, Midge Ure and many more.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
This Albums Greatness Is No Illusion, 5 Oct 2007
Troy Donockley plays sessions for many artists although if it was anywhere I guess he calls the band Iona home. The Pursuit Of Illusion is his second solo album and probably one of the best Progressive Rock/Celtic rock albums to be released over the last twelve months.
The title track is absolutely amazing and concerns the story of an illusionist of the early twentieth century Chung Ling Soo. The man was actually an American who performed as a Chinese man and performed the illusion of catching a bullet. Unfortunately one night in London the trick went wrong and he was actually shot and killed on stage in front of an audience. The song is not only highly emotional but also extremely evocative and as the story unfolds you are almost transported back to that stage in London in 1918. The vocals are shared by Iona vocalist Joanne Hogg who also features on other tracks on the album including another wonderfully evocative track entitled Fragment.
If I was honest I have to say that this album has been on my CD player almost constantly since I received it and I am sure that a great many people will also enjoy it. If I had to put it in a bag I suppose it would have to be Clannad with progressive rock overtones but to limit this albums appeal by putting it in a bag would be to do not only the album but also Troy a disservice.
This album is a beautiful album of music, which should be heard and judged merely as that, an album of excellent music beautifully written and arranged and performed to perfection. It will of course appeal to fans of Iona but looking out beyond that this album will find favour with fans who appreciate good music, well written, arranged and performed which is fine by me. I would certainly love to catch some of this material live and would imagine given the right budget then this may be on the cards.
In the meantime we have the album and for me the tracks that will win over others are the title track, Fragment and the opening track Conscious. Don't let this album pass you by it would be a shame to miss out on something this good.
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~ Troy Donockley
~ Dave Bainbridge & Troy Donockley
~ Dave Bainbridge & Troy Donockley
~ Dave Bainbridge
~ Eureka
