Richard Farrell Ray - Three Pints Of Gin

Inspired acoustic blues picking and harp playing with a gritty, edgy, raw delivery that works perfectly, illustrating sheer strength and quality."This is a studio live album with no overdubs featuring Richard on acoustic guitar, rack harmonica and vocals. Always a truly excellent performer, here Farrell turns out a full 16 track album that features his wonderful, inspired acoustic picking and harp playing alongside a gritty, edgy, raw delivery that works perfectly and really illustrates the guy's sheer strength and quality. Three Pints of Gin is a superb display of fretwork virtuosity and some genuinely stirring lyricism that just lifts the entire project out of the ordinary and lifts it head and shoulders above the crowd. Farrell himself believes this may be his best to date and in truth it's hard to disagree. The tracks are mostly self-penned with a few exceptions where he covers Lonnie Johnson's Lazy Woman Blues, Fulton Allen's Funny Feeling Blues, and the old traditional blues standard He's In The Jailhouse Now. Whatever he turns his hand to, Farrell masters and at times the picking is near-breath taking with countless examples of absolute mastery and ease rippling throughout the release." Iain Patience, Bluestown Music, NL