Born with the Caul

Personnel: Cian Nugent (vocals, guitar, organ); Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh (violin, viola); Bill Blackmore (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brendan Jenkinson (piano, maracas); John Hegarty (electric piano, organ); Karl Odlum (double bass); David Lacey (drums).
Audio Mixer: Karl Odlum.
Recording information: Sun Studios (09/2012-??/2013).
Arranger: Cian Nugent & the Cosmos.
The first long-player from mercurial Irish guitarist Cian Nugent under the Cian Nugent & the Cosmos moniker, the No Quarter-issued Born with the Caul explores much of the same sonic territory as his elegant and deliberate 2011 solo outing Doubles, but the addition of a backing band (strings, drums, horns, base, and keys) goes a long when fleshing out Nugent's evocative, contemporary spin on late-'60s and early-'70s progressive folk. A heady blend of influences both old (John Fahey, John Martyn) and new (Jack Rose, Jim O'Rourke), the ambitious and atmospheric, three track, 45-minute Born with the Caul impresses with its new school take on old-school psych-folk. ~ James Christopher Monger