Edito de Gentle LandThis is Guernsey >News >Feature Articles >Sark   Album is tribute to Sark by Phil Falle Published 23/11/2006 THE journey from appearances at the world famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho's Frith Street to Sark is not one made by many. Peter Byrne seems to have made it with considerable ease and, judging by the smile on his face as he sang to his daughter, Esmee, it is not one he is likely to reverse. Peter, or Peter Gabriel Byrne as he is known professionally, has just produced an album of his own songs and music entitled Gentle Land - a clear tribute to what he now calls his home in Sark, one he shares with his wife, artist Rosanne Guille, and their nine-month-old daughter. One of the songs asks that he be taken by the hand and led to a gentle land, a restful place. As Mr Byrne says on the CD's cover: 'My wish was granted in the spring of 2004 while performing on a visit to the beautiful island of Sark.' The album itself is a collection of his own songs, written for guitar and voice and inspired by his own Irish roots. 'They've been with me for a long time now and I am so glad that I have been able to record them from my home here in Sark,' he said. Actually, he's done a good deal more than write and perform them. With the exception of just one song, he has also produced, recorded, engineered and mixed them - terms which don't mean a great deal to someone like me, who was once described as a cultural philistine, but which nonetheless indicate a great deal of work, not to mention talent. The album is being sold at two Sark outlets, the Island Stores and Country Fayre, as well as at Number 19 in The Pollet and there are plans for it to be available at HMV shortly. Anyone wanting more information about Peter should look at petergabrielbyrne.com.  Gentle Land (Sark Music records, 2006) by Peter Gabriel Byrne Gentle Land (Sark Music records, 2006) By Peter Gabriel Byrne Peter Gabriel Byrne is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, based on the Island of Sark. Born in Manchester, moving to Dublin as a young child, and then back to England in adulthood, Byrne has soaked up various musical influences along the way and emerges here with a most enjoyable debut album. Gentle Land is a fitting platform for Byrne's effortless singing and playing style, that reveals him to be a deft writer with a soothing and appealing delivery. Byrne has composed a most tender and beguiling ballad with "Calling All Angels." His lightly picked guitar is perfectly unobtrusive, and his mellow, sensitive voice soars to great and beautiful heights, in a similar fashion to The Blue Nile's Paul Buchanan. "Mend my heart, sooth my soul, ease my mind" Byrne urges the listener, in an absolutely exquisite song that does all of these. Calling all angels -- with songs as exquisite as this, they're sure to be listening. The title track is full of longing for the gentle land that gives the song its title. "Take my hand, lead me to a gentle land, take me to a restful place" Once again Byrne's aching vocal delivery transports you straight there -- to this gentle land -- it could be anywhere you want it to be! The album has undeniably catchy pop leanings, whilst simultaneously maintaining an organic feel, with lyrics rooted deep in the personal emotions of the writer yet immediately accessible to the listener. Gentle Land has it all -- heartfelt vocal performances, enchanting melodies and thoughtful, reflective lyrics. A wider audience surely beckons for this talented chap! Rate This Review To find out more about Peter Gabriel Byrne, visit, http://www.petergabrielbyrne.com/ Search for more albums reviews for Peter Gabriel Byrne or go here to see a gig review. Display gig dates for Peter Gabriel Byrne Search the whole of Folking.com for other articles on Peter Gabriel Byrne Written by: Mike Wilson On the 11-Apr-2007   CD Reviews  Gentle Land - Peter Gabriel Byrne By Tom Girard A hint of Ireland mixed with the tranquil air of Sark combines here to create a relaxed set of acoustic pop-folk songs. Track Listing 1. Cry Cry 2. Calling All Angels 3. Perfect Moment 4. Ghosts In Love 5. Sleep 6. Gentle Land 7. Heartache 8. More More More 9. Bend My World 10. Lay Down My Heart Sark resident Peter Gabriel Byrne's first recording combines aspects of his Irish heritage with the tranquillity and sense of place he feels on the island of Sark to create a set of tunes that bridge the divide between the work of the current batch of male singer songwriters and the world of folk. Taking notes from these places has led to 10 tracks, written over a period of years, that never sound too folk-y but at the same time never sound derivative of the current crop of popular singer songwriters, giving Byrne's work a somewhat unique air, considering it is just a man and a guitar. Prior to listening to this record I was a little sceptical that simply a man and a guitar could keep me interested for a whole album. However having listened to the disc the way the guitar sound is used, mixed with Byrne's vocals shows just how varied the instrument can be. With a consistent feel of gentle reminiscence the record spans emotions from sunny and up beat to melancholic, while never falling into the trap of becoming depressing and self indulgent. And the guitar work holds this idea together by being consistently first-rate but never being over complicated and loosing the feeling of the song. One of the few things the record falls down on is that there seems to be a constant attempt to give the music and vocals a 'free and airy' atmosphere, through the use of echo effects and other devices, and this never quite happens successfully. Though this is a minor quibble compared to the great song writing displayed and never causes the album to feel incomplete (though the final track on the record does seem to end before it's had a chance to fully develop). In all, the album provides a range of relaxed and restful songs that never become dull as acoustic records sometimes do. And while it isn?t breaking any new ground musically it proves itself as a set of high quality, well crafted songs. last updated: 29/11/06 Lire la suite