Pesky Kidd - Hope and Strength
World, Rock, Celtic
Ohio, United States
Overall Impression: Whilst "The Ghost" certainly fits well within the world of Celtic rock, there's something refreshingly restrained about this offering by 9 Castle Close. A great deal of Celtic rock, whilst still very well done, can often lean maybe a bit too heavily into its Celtic inspirations, often feeling more like a pastiche affair rather than an authentic representation of what the genre is really all about, instead, 9 Castle Close opts for a more subdued use of its Celtic inspired elements, which in turn, heightens the effectiveness of the writing substantially. The gentle implementation of the fiddle combined with the track's rockier elements allows "The Ghost" to strike the perfect middle ground, presenting listeners with subtle Celtic flavors that help to complement the track's rockier foundations brilliantly.
Strongest Point(s): Opening with a brisk uptempo strummed acoustic guitar introduction that makes excellent use of a chromatically descending motif in its progression, "The Ghost" quickly and effectively establishes a strong sense of rhythmic drive and melodic intrigue, this intro serves as a brilliant precursor to the towering overdriven guitar riff and drum attack that soon follows. There's a great feeling of continuous momentum in "The Ghost" that really does help keep listeners firmly gripped throughout, often this form of rhythmic relentlessness can prove to be tiresome if not handled correctly, however, 9 Castle Close find a great way to give their track a feeling of contour without it being at the expense of the high-energy levels that give "The Ghost" its impactful nature, and that's through the exceedingly strong arrangement. By having the overdriven guitars hold back throughout the main verses and allowing these sections to solely focus on the interaction between the fiddle and vocals, the arrangement is given more room to breathe, allowing for the chorus to hit that bit harder.
Target Audience Appeal: This is definitely a tune for the Celtic rockers out there.
Artist target suggestions: Flogging Molly, Paddy And The Rats, The Rumjacks, Dropkick Murphys, The Porters, The Mahones, The Real Mckenzies, The Wages of Sin, The Currency
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.