Greyworld c.d. by Padraig Rushe

Padraig Rushe

‘GreyWorld’


Angela Macari O’Looney

Paidraig Rushe is no stranger to the Irish music scene. His alternative Rock/Folk/Soul style of music comes from a childhood spent in America, where he developed his voice, influenced by the diverse mixture of music and cultures thereof.

This wonderful guy who is a mine of pure talent was heard leading The Dublin Gospel Choir until recently, when he began to focus on promoting this album, which seems to be a culmination of the songs and music that are closest to his heart.

Performing with Paddy Casey, Liam O’Maonlai of The Hothouse Flowers and other prominent names such as James Brown heightened his profile on a more international level. He just seems to posess a Midas touch when it comes to song writing, musical arrangements and performing, which obviously comes to him as easily as breathing!

This album which has been some years in the making is the fruit of much labour, sweat and tears, hard work and a little help from his friends!

Gonna be a change – This song is being launched as a single in January ’09. It has an exciting and fast-moving intro. Soulfully performed with sad lyrics and a sweet melody, it has a note of hope in it just the same. There’s a lot of vibrant rhythm and percussion involved, behind the captivating melody which although a little sad, has fire!
Backing vocals create such an overwhelming sense of heavenliness and spirituality, with female vocalists singing a reverent refrain behind the chorus. Bass is consistent along with the choppy beat, which is extremely uplifting.
There’s a slowdown for the middle eight performed by Padraig alone, till it builds up again with the upbeat and lively chorus returning. He does exceptional variation, gliding his voice up and down the register towards the end of this beautiful number.
And this is only the beginning!


Free Now – Beginning with a choppy verse, this number is memorable with a fabulous chorus involving gorgeous harmony. Behind the second verse some little oohs lend atmosphere and then you are brought back to the chorus, where you feel tempted to clap and sing along. Rhythm in this song is everything!
The breath control Padraig demonstrates is amazing; his effortless fluency is riveting as he pours out his soul through his voice, which is absolutely magical!
The middle eight has a beautiful rippling keyboard and then you are taken back to the cheerful, catchy chorus once again. With a delicious melody and tricky changes throughout, it goes from minor to major chords which add atmosphere and drama.

Catcher in the Rye – This is a classic folk song, which has a shuffling style of beat.
Involving a rhythmic verse with a sense of urgency about it, the bustling mood continues throughout. The simple melody is sung in a lower octave, gradually growing to a high and powerful crescendo in the chorus, which the backing singers perform along with Padraig. The accompaniment also develops from just rhythm guitar and drums to vibrant lead guitar that jazzes things up. I feel this to have a similarity in lots of ways to Paul Simon’s dramatic African - tinged songs.
In the second chorus the ‘hey yeah’ seems to almost swell and then gradually things wind down again, Padraig doing the last couple of lines alone with just a beat behind him as he sings a chant of ‘Rhythm come come, rhythm come come’ and without warning, everything just stops!

Wandering Man – This number is moody and solemn. With a deeply sung verse at the start, things become lighter, higher and sweeter for the chorus. Piano is beautiful, as the closely sung harmony adds depth and volume. It is quite sad after all the energy in the previous one. This is followed by a song with yet another very soulful verse.

Lover my Lover and me - The chorus in this number is wonderful and vibrant. However I find these two songs close together with such sombre verses, very mournful and long even though there are certain parts in both that are bright, beautiful and lively.

New house Rising – This makes up for all the deep stuff as it begins with a choppy beat. It is by far my favourite of all the songs on GreyWorld. This is yet another classic which takes on a whole new meaning when performed by this amazing young man, along with the charismatic entourage of angels singing behind him. Fantastic bass, rhythm and keyboards enhance this fresh version of a song I describe as ‘Oh Mary don’t you weep’. What a performance, charged with fire and adrenaline that just bursts from the artist and spreads like a fever to the listener!


As I listen to the voice of this inspiring young man, I find myself reflecting on another magical singer; the late Luther Van Dross. He isn’t mentioned among the many influences in Padraig’s profile. Those influences such as James Brown, Bill Withers, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and THE voice of all time- Ella Fitzgerald, are choice singers with voices that are musical instruments in themselves and have gone into the history books they are so flawless.
Padraig Rushe though younger and newer, possesses such a voice!

Grey World - This is a slow but extremely lovely number. Dramatic and melodic, it has a fabulous refrain going on behind the sweet chorus. The lyrics are reflective and are sung with emotion. It has a lovely line about the earth ‘this interwoven tapestry’. It’s a lovely description to boost the mood of this sad number. Of the slower tracks it is the nicest by far!

Sleeping Boy – This has a sad three four beat. The words are heartbreakingly melancholic and talk of the loss of a young boy’s friend through his sudden death. It has a dynamic chorus as the whole choir of backing singers sing in unison with Padraig.


Old Beginnings – Very deep and moody, but also quite lovely!
This song has sweetly sung backing vocals performed by one female singer and has delectable piano accompaniment which is the highlight for me. The melody is a little bit dreary though, as are some of the slower songs which sober you up after the more positive, uplifting ones.

Broken Man – With a sweet melody and sad lyrics in this song, there are memorable and appealing chord combinations while the chorus builds up. I particularly like the hushed hint of harmony behind Padraig’s emotionally charged performance in it, which once more demonstrates his exceptional vocal talent.

Peacefully – This is yet another extremely slow, moody number. There’s a nice acoustic guitar in it and a simplicity that makes it quite memorable. Padraig sings ever so softly and the lyrics are romantic and beautiful.
Absolutely perfect, with the constant rippling acoustic guitar and a dramatic beat, there is also a sweet lead solo played on an electric guitar in this final song. It returns to the lovely verse with the acoustic guitar playing rippling notes once again.

As yet I haven’t seen Padraig Rushe on a live gig. This wonderful collection of his work is a must have for anyone who appreciates true musicianship. The more you hear them, the more these powerful songs reach into your soul, drawing you in with pure magic to indulge you as you listen.