Until the Next Time

When Daniel O'Donnell sang "Until the Next Time," the final track on this album, you knew it wouldn't be much of a wait before he'd be back, singing another selection of easy listening, country-tinged ballads, and that a ready-made fan base would push the next album into the Top Ten, just as they had with this one. After all, Until the Next Time was Daniel O'Donnell's 34th album, nine of which had gone Top Ten since 1998, a prolific rate of recording -- and by 2006 he was getting even more popular. O'Donnell had said "to hell with the critics" during one of his sold-out concerts and -- never one to even attempt to court popularity by following current trends -- he knew his audience. If they really were middle-aged mums and grandmothers, well, there were plenty of them -- enough to buy a career's worth of CDs. OnUntil the Next Time he co-wrote every one of the songs along with his colleague Marc Roberts, bandmembers Raymond McLoughlin and Sean O'Farrell, and his mum, Julia, coming up with lightweight Jim Reeves-type numbers "I Forgot to Remember to Forget You" and "Wherever You Are" and simple love songs "Should I" and "Take the Hand of Love." "Tonight I've Held My Future" is a straightforward country song, "Beyond the Rainbow's End" is a heartfelt ballad, and "My Love for You" is reminiscent of the Marty Robbins hit "Devil Woman." There is a simple formula to Daniel O'Donnell albums: sing pleasant songs in an easygoing manner like Perry Como or Val Doonican might have done decades ago. After all, times and musical styles don't change much in 40 or 50 years -- well, not in his world anyway. There was a nod to his roots in Donegal on "My Lovely Island Home," and on the final title track he was joined by the the Dublin Gospel Choir. With Until the Next Time, you could bet there would be a next time. ~ Sharon Mawer