TRACKS FROM THE VAULTS

Yet another fantastic album from Horslips, this is a collection of tunes which were recorded in the band's earlier days and never released. It features original versions of such tunes as Dearg Doom and King of the Fairies, a personal favourite of mine. Also, tracks such as Johnny's Wedding and Green Gravel are worth buying the record for, as they aren't on any other records. The traditional Irish folk mixed with rock is here in force, a truly progressive experience. A wonderful album, and if you don't like the music, then you can admire the fantasticly weird cover :)

Oh, as one of Horslips' greatest fans, would that I could be as fulsome in praise of this as Daniel McCormack! Sadly not. This is a hotchpotch of tracks which are not on their albums or are early versions, plus a few favourites, released to raise some cash for the recording of the Book of Invasions which they financed themselves. Several (Johnny's Wedding, The High Reel, King of the Fairies, Oisin's Tune) are awesome. A few (the two Lipstick tracks, done under a different name as a tribute to the Beatles and very tongue in cheek) would frankly be better left out. Overall, it's more rock, pop and folk than prog but still worth buying since this band could record the phone book and still make it sound great. Oh, and I HATE the cover.

In the grip of motorway madness

By its very nature, Tracks From The Vaults is a release for completionists and hard core fans and collectors. The contents is a mixed bag of old b-sides and out-takes that showcases the several of Horslips' many faces. As such, we get some pure Folk, some pure Pop, and some straightforward Rock 'N' Roll. Notably absent is the progressive attitude that so successfully shaped their best albums. The collection opens with Motorway Madness, a dull, middle-of-the-road rocker. This one later re-appears (among the four CD bonus tracks) in an every bit as unexciting live version. Familiar songs such as Dearg Doom and King Of The Fairies appear here in demo-versions inferior to the later album versions. Instrumentals such as The High Reel and Johnny's Wedding too can be found in better versions elsewhere (as on Horslips Live).

The silly Beatles tribute songs Beatles Come Back and Fab Four-Four (released under the name of Lipstick) are the real low points here.

Among the tracks not available elsewhere, there are some rather nice folky tunes. Some of these could have worked fine as link-pieces on some of the band's albums, but hold limited interest in their own right. These are interesting for a fan like me to hear once or twice, but are not really enough to make Tracks From The Vaults a worthwhile experience as such.