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Having returned from Australia and ending his career as a member of former band Clan Zú, Declan de Barra is back in his homeland of Ireland and beginning a new life as a solo musician.  Song of a Thousand Birds, his debut album on Translation Loss Records, is a captivating and emotion-filled collection of songs that provide a fantastic impression of his songwriting capabilities.  Armed with a unique artistic insight and an extraordinarily powerful voice, de Barra paints musical portraits of love, hope, and suffering that truly speak to the heart.

Among the various components that make up his unique sound, the strongest elements of de Barra’s music are by far his passionate lyrics and the powerful vocals with which he communicates them.  While initially somewhat unsettling, de Barra’s voice is bold, unrestrained and haunting, possessing a unique beauty that takes time to fully appreciate.  His words speak of life and love, of death and turmoil, and are carried with a spine-chilling tone that seems to pierce the soul.  Ranging from tender near-whispers to anguished cries, de Barra’s voice takes on a diverse variety of moods, making for an emotionally rich album from start to finish.

Although they typically take a backseat position throughout the album, the instrumental contributions on Song of a Thousand Birds are also worth noting.  De Barra’s guitar work is incredibly subtle but also very intriguing, accenting his vocals without overpowering or distracting.  There are also a number of guest musicians featured on the album who contribute segments of cello, bass, drums, and fiddle.  Like the guitar, these instruments also dwell in the background and take on a modest role of supporting De Barra’s voice.  Above all, they saturate each song with an enchanting atmosphere of Celtic culture that accurately reflects the album’s origins.

While certainly not a stranger to the world of underground music, Declan de Barra seems to have made an impressive new beginning as a solo musician with his Translation Loss debut.  In Song of a Thousand Birds, de Barra casts aside any concern for catchy hooks and overly accessible lyrics and instead focuses on speaking his mind openly and completely through his music.  Harnessing the raw power of emotional forces, Declan de Barra offers an unusually original approach to the singer-songwriter genre that will undoubtedly carry him as a musician for years to come.

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Reviewer: Sean Butze Added: April 12th 2007