Album Notes

Performing Songwriter (USA) 1999

Virgoville As a member of the Irish group Flex and the Fastweather, Paul Tiernan had several hit singles in Ireland and worked with U2's manager Paul McGuiness. Since then he's backed Donovan, the HotHouse Flowers, Sinéad Lohan, and Mary Black.

Virgoville is his second release, and it moves away from the more acoustic sound Tiernan has been known for and finds him plugging in and turning up. The European trade magazine, Today F.M., named it "Best Album Of The Year," proving Virgoville is definitely a fine collection of guitar-driven, modern rock.

"Kevin Is Dreaming" is reminiscent of Tom Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane" with crunchier guitars. "Will You Run" keeps the pace albeit with a softer, sweeter backing and showcases Tiernan's lovely tenor as well as his way with a melody. With its muted acoustic guitar and atmospheric lap steel shadings, "Beth" is the album's quietest and most evocative moment. The drunken sway of "Diary Of An Angel" runs a close second, while "How Long" and "Emily" serve up more of his tasty hooks.
CORK EXAMINER…….1998

…..unlike his last platter "Who’s fooling who?" an impressive if too even and ultimately too gentle solo album, "Virgoville" has more scars and balls and the rusty steel spine of electric ‘geetars’….

This darker and far more satisfying encounter with Tiernan finds him right at home with an atmospheric smoky , post Lanois production courtesy of Kieran Kennedy…….Tiernan has been blessed with a fine voice that can recall the vocals of Tim Buckley and David Gates…….this time the blurb is actually right , this boy deserves to go far!

FOLK ROOTS( BRITAIN) 1998

PAUL TIERNAN Virgoville Right Stuff Records RSR CD 002

Amphidexterous is an adjective which adequately describes Paul Tiernan'smusic. Virgoville his second album takes a different slant to his acoustic based debut Who's fooling Who. This time the music devides itself evenly between shimmering acoustics and full throttle dives into the world of rockand roll.

Tiernan has traversed these waters before with Flex and theFastweather and now hauling in ex Black Velvet band guitarist Kieran Kennedy to produce goes for a bigger bolder sound and cinematic approach. His expressive voice and astute sense of lyricism makes for a singer/songwriterof rare quality.

In many ways Virgoville is an effort to join the twinstrands which cover Paul Tiernan's musical map the edgy rockers and plaintive melodic ballads are executed with a warm natural aura and radiate a pulsating energy and sense of purpose.

At one end you have the histrionics of Heroine the lyrics and sentiment of which Michael Stipe would undoubtedly approve and the pure pop of Emily where the nursery rhyme type lyric belies a song of greater substance both also happen to be laden with contagious hooklines.

The caustic How Long and What Do You Do both benefit from the band treatment where Kennedy, bassist Kevin Murphy and drummer Dave Clarke lock into overdrive and create the right sense of menace and power.On the other end of the scale the shimmering vulnerability of Will You Run is emphasised by Joe Ryan's pedal steel and Kennedy's restrained yet atmospheric guitar work.

An adroit command of wordplay adorns MascaraMascara probably the strongest individual song on display where Tiernan expertly paints a picture of both vulnerability and shattered dreams.Beth and the closing Blue Roses, both gentle acoustic ballads shimmer and create a lingering atmosphere every word and nuance perfectly in place and necessary.

Paul Tiernan's songs are typical examples of occasions wherethere is much more going on than meets the eye and Virgoville has a plethoraof articulate well crafted songs full of melodic twists and lyrical nuances which reveal themselves on continued exposure. Virgoville is a powerful statement of intent and puts Paul Tiernan in the top flight of Irish contemporary singer/songwriters.