Audio CD review:
Chris de Burgh - Far Beyond These Castle Walls

Chris de Burgh - Far Beyond These Castle Walls

Band: Chris de Burgh Title: Far Beyond These Castle Walls Rating: Release Date: 03 April, 1990 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Hold On 2: The Key 3: Windy Night 4: Sin City 5: New Moon 6: Watching The World 7: Lonesome Cowboy 8: Satin Green Shutters 9: Turning Round 10: Goodnight

Customer Reviews The debut, with all that implies His songwriting has remained strong and his voice beguiling, but the arrangements have often lacked originality. Early Chris de Burgh is very different than his late 1980s and 1990s albums, where he has generally espoused a heavily produced and synthesized adult-contemporary sound. In the 1970s, however, de Burgh presented himself as a true bard and balladeer. He was a storyteller, and his songs acoustic and/or orchestral, with the occasional rock number thrown in. The strongest of his first five albums are the second (Spanish Train and Other Stories) and the fourth (Crusader), but the others are by no means throwaways. "Far Beyond These Castle Walls," unavailable as a U. S. release, is Chris de Burgh's debut, with all that implies. He is still very much finding his voice, with his stories and love songs presented in a variety of styles. (Even country/western!) None of the songs are absolutely essential or unforgettable (the one that comes closest, "Satin Green Shutters," is also available on the compilation "Best Moves"), but, with his timeless archetypes and lovely atmospherics, de Burgh is a master of evoking moods. The album is consistently enjoyable despite its unevenness. If you are unfamiliar with de Burgh, the best comparison for this album is to the quieter tracks on Elton John's first few records, particularly the self-titled one. It's no accident, in fact--the producer/engineer of "Far Beyond These Castle Walls," Robin Geoffrey Cable, was also the engineer on those Elton John records. it is greate i love chris deburg and all the songs is a great. Wonderful album Still it gets 5 stars from me. This is another of his great albums, just rounding into form, it's not as polished as his next two albums. His first 5 albums are fantastic and this one is right there as one of his best. . You can see a complete list of all Chris de Burgh discography, or go back to the Chris de Burgh tabs