Album review: CIARA SIDINE – Unbroken Line

August 16th, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

CIARA SIDINE - Unbroken Line

[Release date 06.10.17]

The follow up to Dublin-based singer songwriter Ciara Sidine’s excellent debut Shadow Road Shining (2011) has been a while coming.

Unbroken Line follows the same pattern in featuring a self-written set, with the exception of a haunting re-arrangement of ‘Woman Of Constant Sorrow’, again drawing on Americana roots and country blues, to deliver a critique of Irish society past and present.

Co-produced by Sidine and Conor Brady (guitars), the other core players of Justin Carroll (keyboards), and Dave Hingarty (drums) remain, this time around, supported by some of Ireland’s finest players.

Unlike many contemporaries, traditional Irish influences rarely surface, and while the vocal and band performance are once again impeccable, Unbroken Line has an altogether more doleful, and introspective feel, bearing more immediate comparison to artists like Vaya Con Dios, Mary Black, and Billie Holiday rather than some of the more contemporary crossover appeal that peppered Shadow Road Shining.

The album reaffirms Sidine as one of the best vocalists to emerge in the vast Americana field in recent years, but whereas Shadow Road Shining offered the prospect of widespread appeal, Unbroken Line retreats to more unsullied roots.

It’s impossible not to be impressed by the performance, but for me Unbroken Line doesn’t have quite the same number of sweet spot hooks as her debut. Whether that’s a deliberate directional shift, or a tricky second album failing, only time will tell, but nevertheless Unbroken Line has ‘quality’ stamped all through it. ***1/2

Review by Pete Whalley

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)