At Swim

Those lucky enough to have seen Lisa Hannigan live onstage will know that she doesn't change dresses several times nor she is surrounded by fifteen dancers nor gives a show with a million lights. She doesn't need all that. Much on the contrary, she enters the stage among her few musicians (usually three or four), walks to the microphone and with a shy smile salutes and starts with the first song.

Lisa Hannigan is a singer (and a composer, and a multi-instrumentalist, and very good at all that), so her concerts are only a way to deliver her wonderful songs; and without unnecessary adornments.

"At Swim" is her third CD, after "See Saw" and "Passengers", and not counting the "Stargaze. Live in Dublin", a compilation and a deserved victory lap after a prodigious decade. "At Sea" it's a magnificent album of songs, her best in an already very worthy career. It's more intimate than her two previous opuses, and it shows fully a composer at the top of her game with two of the best songs recorded in the last few years: "A prayer for the dying" and "Lo".

This is not a flashy piece of music a la mode, it's much better, light years better than that. It's pure music delivered with loads of good taste.

I must stress I have Lisa's other 2 albums and to me she is an oddity, as she is TOTALLY not my normal record box fare. I am a lover of Rock, Hip Hop, Funk all sorts but the whole gentle folk thing is a bit lost on me, unless it is in Lisa's hands.

I 1st saw her on Later with Jools Holland many years ago doing See Sew songs "Ocean and a Rock" etc and she blew me away, I have been enchanted ever since. At Swim is just astounding, seriously, happy, heartbreaking and everything inbetween. Be assured there are no dance floor classics here but it leaves you with goose bumps and tears, it sounds corny but this album gives what you bring to it.

Let me explain i first played the album in bed, lights off, song 2 came on Prayer for the Dying, I was frozen in awe, the music, the harmonies, the sentiment... after a while i realised i had stopped breathing it has so immersed all my senses. My Mother passed away 3 years ago, and tho I am peace with her gone it still gets me, this song was a beautiful tonic.

A truly truly incredible piece of work, my Wife and I are seeing Lisa at St Canices Cathedral Kilkenny in December, i do hope i get the chance to speak to her and say Thank you.

I hadn't heard of Lisa Hannigan until she was singing on a Radio programme recently and really liked her voice so I sent for this CD. I hoped that I would like all the songs and not just the one I heard on the radio and fortunately I do. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys quality singing.

While I like her songs I have found some of her previous stuff a little twee and girly.

She has really grown up on this album, enjoying listening to it late at night

Except for 2 songs (Lo and Undertow) which I always zip through this is an excellent album. Lisa Hannigan has a beautiful voice and has written a really great collection of songs here. The help of Bryce Dressner is undoubtedly massively valuable and I hope they work together again.

Lisa Hannigan is one of those artists upon whom one can rely, without question, to produce with each successive offering a superlative, emotionally resonant and masterfully-crafted piece of work. Her auspicious- if, from a certain perspective, ill-fated- beginnings with the similarly immensely talented Damien Rice have naturally, through her own massive vocal, lyrical and compositional talents, led to her own sparkling career, which will no doubt continue for many years- and albums- to come. One of Ireland's finest performers.

Nice voice bit boring

This is one of my favourite albums. You have to see Lisa Hannigan live to understand how special her voice is, but this comes close.

J'ai acheté via Amazon les trois albums de Lisa Hannigan. C'est une des plus belles rencontres musicales que j'ai faites. Un grain de voix qui rappelle quelqu'un, mais qui? Tellement naturelle. Des textes surprenants sur des mélodies entrainantes avec des instruments innovants pour certains. Une vraie présence à découvrir aussi sur You Tube. L'Irlande d'aujourd'hui à l'échelle de la Planète. J'ai hâte de découvrir un nouvel opus.

Das -wenn ich mich nicht irre- dritte Album von Frau Hannigan ist meiner Meinung nach das beste. Wunderbare, bezaubende Lieder, durch die größtenteils eine gewisse Melancholie zieht. Getragen wird das ganze von einer bezaubernden, samtigen Stimme.

Das Album nicht sehr poppig, aber grade dadurch kommt die Stimme gut zur Geltung. Die Instumentalisierung ist meist recht klassisch und unspektakulär gehalten, passt jedoch wunderbar.

Es ist schwer einen Song besonders herauszuheben, da sie musikalisch und qualitativ nahe beieinanderliegen. Diese Musik ist generell sowieso nicht dazu geeignet, einzelne "Hits" rauszuziehen und den Rest zu ignorieren. Am besten wirkt dieses Album, wenn man es in Ruhe (wichtig) und am Stück hört. Ein Lied, das mit spontan sehr gut gefällt, ist "Snow", aber da dürfe jeder eine andere Meinung haben. Was musikalisch jedoch auf jeden Fall heraussticht ist das Stück "Anahorish", das ohne Instumente, dafür mit wunderbarem Harmonie-Gesang auftrumpft. Wenn ich mich nicht irre, singt sie dort auch alle Stimmen selbst.

Aus egoistischer Sicht eines Fans kann man die Trennung von Damien Rice nur als großes Glück sehen, da diese zu großartigen Solo-Alben dieser Dame führte (und natürlich zu Damien Rices "My Favourite Faded Fantasy").

Natürlich ist dieses Album nichts für jeden, und einige werden diese unaufgeregte, erwachsene Art der Musik als langweilig empfinden, was ihnen auch nicht vorwerfen möchte. Fans dieser Musikrichtung können begeister sein. SingerSongwriter-Fans, die anspruchsvolle Musik suchen, sollten zugreifen.

Mein (bisheriges) Album des Jahres.

Su disco más intimista, personal y oscuro. Muy recomendable, pero inferior a sus dos anteriores discos. Una gran cantante la irlandesa.

Ottimo imballaggio, consegna rapida e puntuale, prodotto corrispondente alla descrizione e ben confezionato, album magnifico, artista di talento dotata di una voce dolcissima.

Unica pecca: miglior prezzo disponibile.

I just love her voice. All her songs are so soothing. This is the second CD I have of hers and I love them both. Will be on the lookout for more.