Karan Casey and John Doyle - Exiles Return

(February 2010) 12 tracks (52 mins): The False Lady * Exiles Return * Sailing Off To The Yankee Land * Sally Grier * The Bay Of Biscay * The Little Drummer Girl * Out Of The Window * Madam I'm A Darling * The Nightingale * False Lover John * The Shipyard Slips * The Flower Of Finae.

Vocals and guitar from the duo, founder members of Irish-American group Solas - Karan Casey (vocals) and John Doyle (vocals, guitars, bouzouki, mandola) with Dirk Powell (banjo, bass) and Michael McGoldrick (flute, whistle).

Since Solas, each has carved out a unique and acclaimed place in contemporary Irish and folk music. Karan Casey has recorded five solo albums, has won Best Irish Female Vocalist twice, Best Irish Folk album and a Grammy for her collaboration with Paul Winter. She has been nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and has performed with Peggy Seeger, Liam Clancy, James Taylor and Tim O'Brien.

John Doyle's rhythmic guitar chops and effortless harmonies make him much in demand as a musical partner. He currently tours with Joan Baez as her musical director, and with virtuoso fiddler Liz Carroll. Doyle and Carroll played for President Obama in March 2009, and their album Double Play received a 2010 Grammy nomination.

The songs are Irish, Scottish and English, and the CD was produced by Appalachian multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell.

"Simplicity takes a lot more depth... You have to be a lot more confident in your playing and singing to take an honest, direct, simple approach. You can't hide anywhere. It's a very exposed album." (Karan Casey)

"A song is very intimate, even if it's a very traditional song. Each song has a personal meaning. All the songs have an element of loss and yearning. At the end of the day, songs are what carry stories of love, and all human emotions." (John Doyle)