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The up-and-coming Celtic rocker energized a packed house at the Druid with a seamless, high-energy show. He was riveting on ballads (in which his idealism shone forth) and also rocked the place for all it was worth, sounding like the Waterboys one minute, then an expansive, world-music-like group at another, with a special nod to ingenious fiddler Damon Leibert. Paddy is on his way to a tour of Ireland and they'd better be ready for him.
-Steve Morse
Critic At Large for WBOS 92.9FM & former Music Editor of The Boston Globe - Steve Morse
"Paddy's sound expands and grows, and by the end of the first song, “Walking the Dog,” the listener is drawn in by his deep, mellow voice. Saul continues to impress...with intriguing lyrics and layered sounds."
-Robyn Burnham
Northeast Performer - Northeast Performer
"While his voice is fantastic and the musicianship on the record
is top-notch, the ace up Paddy’s sleeve is his knack for writing
songs that rest in your ears well after the record’s done spinning."
- Jim McGrath
- Irish Emigrant
"Paddy Saul obviously remembers the Australian band The Church. His voice is reminiscent of their lead singer Steve Kilbey. One Town Tasted also reminds me of early efforts from Midnight Oil– another Aussie product. To be fair, Paddy puts his own spin on this compelling combination of folk and rock. I like the dark edge of his writing. Paddy is a long way from his home in Ireland and has many stories of his travels to relate to us. He has a convincing way of delivering his lyrics and strums his acoustic with the conviction of a surgeon. There is plenty of love coming from a Telecaster on many of these 12 tracks as well." - Lance Woodward - The Noise
"Paddy Saul illustrates the diverse experience of his travels through music. Having arrived in Boston from Ireland in 1995 and having played throughout New York, Ireland and the New England area, he certainly has a lot to offer. His flexibility in playing and singing, as well as in his roster of fellow musicians enables him to create a lively, melodic sound that is ever-changing, but remains rooted in a humble honesty. His debut album One Town Tasted, to debut in early April, has been honed and sculpted so as to best portray this journey." - Will Selfridge - WERS
Discography
One Town Tasted full-length CD (April 2007)
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Bio
Ireland to Boston: Paddy Saul Releases his Much Anticipated Debut Record One Town Tasted
Paddy Saul blows his audience away. You wouldnt necessarily expect it from the slight, unassuming Irish transplant. But when he takes stage, hands strumming, feet stomping, and head wiggling, he slowly, steadily fans a spark to a blaze. He closes his eyes, casts them upward, and opens his mouth, delivering a plaintive wail that hushes the room and raises the hairs on the back of your neck. His fans love it, returning week after week to see him perform in pubs, clubs and lately, large music halls where hes opened shows for more established performers such as Josh Ritter, Mark Geary, Juliet Turner and Rubyhorse.
Hailing from Drumconrath, County Meath, Ireland, Paddy came to Boston in 1995. The experience of a young man leaving Ireland in the mid-90's and coming to the U.S. to make his way is a familiar tale. Yet the skill and passion with which Paddy tells his stories and sings his songs makes him stand out in a town teeming with talented singer-songwriters.
His debut CD One Town Tasted (Nine Mile Records), chronicles his journey, capturing snap shots of a fledgling performer whos left behind the comforts of home, old friends and lovers, and dead-end jobs for the promise of new adventures. Recorded at famed Zippah Studios by engineers Pete Weiss and Brian Charles, the CD offers a collision of transatlantic styles. Traditional fiddles and banjos spar with electric guitars and big backbeats, creating a beautiful and compelling blend of folk and rock: Old World substance meets New World style.
These songs are really about my first ten years in Boston, explains Paddy. Soon after I arrived my life got pretty crazy, both good and bad. I fell in with some serious musicians and serious partiers. And while I watched a lot of friends become amazing artists I also watched a lot of people fall in and out of trouble. Yes, some fell in for good. The Devil Must addresses this pretty directly the refrain All my loving gone for good was about the culmination of this period when everything came to a head, where some close relationships got severed for me.
Another cut on the CD, Youre Alive was written about Paddys brother Frankie who was in a serious car wreck back in Ireland. Frankie narrowly survived the accident, but a close friend of his didnt. The song poured out of Paddy instantly as Frankie lay in the hospital recovering, and to this day, its a difficult one for Paddys mother to hear. I guess it really brings all of that back to the front, he says. I was just so happy he made it, I couldnt stop writing. And its definitely one of the songs Im most proud of.
But above the spot-on production and intense subject matter, its Paddys voice that carries the record. The sheer force of it would cause any casual listener to stop what they are doing and tune in the same way his live performances do. Engineer Pete Weiss remarked that it is, One of the best voices Ive ever had the pleasure of committing to tape - high praise from someone whos worked with luminaries such as Aimee Mann, Vic Chestnutt, and Chris Brokaw.
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