Shame About Lucy Moonhead: The Best Of Aslan

Aslan

EMI Ireland, 1998

http://www.aslan.ie

REVIEW BY: Mark Phillips

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/01/2006

In 1988, Aslan took over the Irish music scene. Given the title of Ireland's very own working class heroes, there were few that doubted that that these five Dubliners could cut it on a scale that few Irish bands have made it to before -- they were going to be huge worldwide. Indeed, things were going well until Aslan imploded, mainly due to frontman Christy Dignam's heroin addiction. In 1993 the band started fresh but, despite making some of the best Irish rock tunes ever, never quite made it huge in the music world.

Shame About Lucy Moonhead puts in the spotlight Aslan's finest tunes from their first three albums and is a striking testament to the quality of the music produced by the Irish rockers. The whole CD played through without a single filler -- there isn't one song in here that you will not want to hear again. Why? Because Aslan offered something fresh that -- even today -- stands out among a bunch of Irish trend-following bands.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

This "Best Of" compilation opens up with "Down On Me," a tune that sets the tone for the rest of the album: original, heartfelt, atmospheric and just plain cool. "Crazy World" will make your ears perk up and your fingers start tapping to the rhythm -- this is the song that changed the face of Irish rock and should have propelled Aslan to superstardom. Its straight-from-the-heart lyrics and sheer power make it enough reason for you to buy this album now, but just as those annoying TV commercials repeatedly exclaim, "Wait, there's more!"

Track six, "This Is," is mind-blazingly good and will really make you wonder why you haven't heard of this band before. The music, the lyrics, the passion -- this track is unsurpassable. But it must be pointed out that Shame About Lucy Moonhead offers more than just two classic tracks. All twelve songs on offer here are top-notch tunes and will keep any rock fan satisfied. Songs that are also well worth a mention (if you wish to legally download) are "Chains," "This Time" and "If I Should Cry."

There are a few downsides, however. Guitar buffs will probably find Aslan boring, as they tend to keep things simple, with most songs relying on a good melody rather that any great guitar skills. Some critics also say Aslan is a Christian band, which won't appeal to many people, but in truth Aslan isn't overly religious and their lyrics don't hinge on references to God as much as a lot of critics claim.

In a nutshell, Aslan may not have made it big worldwide, but this compilation is an album that oozes originality and class in the bucketloads. It is well worth a listen if you're into old school rock 'n' roll and aren't afraid of a little twist here and there. Well worth a purchase.

Rating: B+

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© 2006 Mark Phillips and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of EMI Ireland, and is used for informational purposes only.