Horslips -

Horslips was an Irish Celt-rock/folk band that released four albums on self-press Oats between 1972 and 1975. They renamed the label Horslips Records for five additional albums and two live discs up through 1980. Outside Ireland, their 1973 concept album The Táin appeared on MCA and their 1976–77 albums The Book of Invasions and Aliens appeared on DJM.

Members: Eamon Carr (drums, percussion), Barry Devlin (bass, vocals), John Fean (guitar, vocals), Jim Lockhart (keyboards, flute), Charles O’Connor (fiddle, mandolin, vocals), Declan Sinnott (guitar)

Background

Horslips sprung from a pretend band put together for a 1970 Harp Lager commercial by Dublin’s Ark advertising company. The band involved three Ark coworkers: bassist Barry Devlin (b. 1946, Ardboe), drummer Eamon Carr (b. 1948, Kells), and mandolinist–fiddler Charles O’Connor (b. 1948, Middlesbrough, UK). Carr was an accomplished poet and journal publisher (Capella) who co-founded the ’60s beat combo Tara Telephone. Devlin’s friend, keyboardist Jim Lockhart (b. 1948, Dublin), rounded the lineup.

The four enjoyed the act enough to continue as a proper band. Carr’s ex-Tara bandmate, guitarist Declan Sinnott, joined the new group, which initially dubbed itself Horslypse. Their name was a portmanteau of the words “horse” and “apocalypse” from The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, originating from the book of Revelation in the New Testament. The band soon respelled their name Horslips for readability.

Horslips released their debut single, “Johnny’s Wedding” (b/w “Flower Amang Them All“), on St Patrick’s Day 1972. The b-side is a rearranged traditional number with O’Connor on concertina, Lockhart on tin whistle, and Carr on the bodhrán, an Irish frame drum. This was the inaugural release on the band’s self-press Oats, cat. number MOO 1.

Soon after that release, Sinnott left the band, purportedly over his objection to their appearance in an advert for Mirinda orange drink. They replaced him with guitarist John Fean (b. 1951, Limerick), who hailed from the blues-rock bands Sweet Street (with future Mushroom/Headstone violinist Joe O’Donnell) and Jeremiah Henry. (Sinnott later surfaced in ’80s folk-rockers Moving Hearts.)

Horslips second single, “Green Gravel” (b/w “Fairy King”), appeared in mid-1972 on Oats (cat. MOO 2).

Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part

Horslips released their debut album, Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part, in December 1972 on Oats. It features thirteen originals; six vocal numbers and seven instrumentals.

The album presents their initial fusion of traditional Irish airs with amplified rock instrumentation, framed by short thematic bookends that place the material within a jig-based concept. Horslips perform as a self-contained five-piece with Charles O’Connor on fiddle and concertina, Jim Lockhart on assorted pipes and whistles, Johnny Fean on guitars and banjo, Barry Devlin on bass, and Eamon Carr on drums and bodhrán.

Horslips wrote all thirteen tracks; Devlin, Fean, Lockhart, O’Connor, and Carr align their parts around traditional source tunes for most of the material. Only “Hall of Mirrors,” “An Bratach Bán,” “Bím Istigh Ag Ól,” and “Furniture” depart from those templates with newly composed themes.

The set alternates between amplified folk songs and instrumental reels. “Hall of Mirrors” moves through layered organ figures and contoured guitar lines, while “The Clergy’s Lamentation,” “Ace and Deuce,” and “The Musical Priest” frame their arrangements on fiddle and pipes with brisk rhythmic pacing. “Bím Istigh Ag Ól” shifts between electric drive and tight modal turns, and “The Shamrock Shore” unfolds in a slower, narrative format.

A1. “Happy to Meet” (instr, 0:48)
A2. “Hall of Mirrors” (5:29)
A3. “The Clergy’s Lamentation” (instr, 4:39)
A4. “An Bratach Bán” [The White Flag] (2:04)
A5. “The Shamrock Shore” (4:34)
A6. “Flower Amang Them All” (instr, 2:04)
A7. “Bím Istigh Ag Ól” [I’m Inside Drinking] (3:43)

B1. “Furniture” (5:13)
B2. “Ace and Deuce” (instr, 3:35)
B3. “Dance to Yer Daddy” (4:37)
B4. “The High Reel” (instr, 2:43)
B5. “Scalloway Ripoff” (instr, 1:54)
B6. “The Musical Priest” (instr, 4:33)
B7. “Sorry to Part” (instr, 1:32)

Sessions occurred in Fall 1972 with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio in Ireland under producer Alan O’Duffy, who engineered the album with the band.

Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part came in a die-cut octagonal cover designed to resemble a concertina, which O’Connor plays on select passages. It contains a four-page insert with member pics by Ian Finlay, the photographer on Horslips’ proper releases through 1977.

In August 1973, Horslips released “The High Reel,” a non-album single (b/w “Furniture”) on UK Oats (OAT 1) and German Atlantic. The song appears on subsequent pressings of Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part.

The Táin

Horslips released their second album, The Táin, in November 1973 on Oats.

The Táin presents a tightened folk-rock narrative built around adapted traditional airs, short instrumental tableaux, and compact vocal pieces tied to the Táin Bó Cúailnge cycle. Horslips fuse pipes, whistles, fiddle, and bodhrán with amplified guitars and organ to frame the album’s sequence of scene-setting instrumentals and character-driven songs.

Bassist Barry Devlin wrote most of the album’s material. Fiddler Charles O’Connor sings the band’s best-known track, “Dearg Doom,” which adapts O’Neill’s “March of the King of Laois.” They also incorporate “The Silver Spear,” a traditional jig, and fold additional borrowed motifs into “More Than You Can Chew.”

The Táin opens with the atmospheric instrumental “Setanta,” a sparse, echo-laden prelude where tremolo guitar and subtle sound effects outline the central characters’ motifs. “Maeve’s Court” follows with warm acoustic textures—flute, concertina, bodhrán, and mandolin—unfolding in a gentle, flowing pace that evokes the Connaught court. “Charolais” shifts into a mid-tempo pulse, pairing fluttering flute with serrated guitar lines over taut bass and drums; organ and layered vocals punctuate the narrative, building tension before the dual-section march of “The March,” which alternates brisk snare-led rhythms with organ-driven passages.

“You Can’t Fool the Beast” combines lilting flute passages with fiddle and guitar interplays over steady, swinging drums, leading into the insistent riff and sharp-turning vocal lines of “Dearg Doom,” a high-intensity centerpiece. “Ferdia’s Song” adopts a mid-tempo, elegiac pace, with tin whistle, organ, and entwined fiddle and guitar lines conveying the story’s tragic duel; its motifs recur briefly in “Gae Bolga,” where dramatic, eruptive instrumentation signals the fatal confrontation.

Side two begins with “Cú Chulainn’s Lament,” a spacious, plaintive arrangement of voice, flute, and gradually layered fiddle, guitar, and organ. “Faster Than the Hound” relaxes into a slower, measured rhythm with chime-toned guitar, jazz-tinged organ, and subtle percussion, reflecting the army’s retreat. “The Silver Spear” picks up a sprightly jig-like pace with acoustic guitar, fiddle, and accordion, while “More Than You Can Chew” leans on energetic uilleann pipes and brisk guitar lines to maintain momentum. “The Morrigan’s Dream” blends snare and bodhrán with interlaced acoustic guitar, fiddle, and organ, yielding a stately, almost Baroque-patterned texture. The album closes with “Time to Kill!,” a lively slip-jig in 9/8 time that fuses mandolin, fiddle, and driving guitar into a rousing, conclusive flourish.

A1. “Setanta” (1:15)
A2. “Maeve’s Court” (1:41)
A3. “Charolais” (4:03)
A4. “The March” (1:34)
A5. “You Can’t Fool the Beast” (3:43)
A6. “Dearg Doom” (3:07) — based on the traditional march “March of the King of Laois.”
A7. “Ferdia’s Song” (2:44)
A8. “Gae Bolga” (1:15)

B1. “Cú Chulainn’s Lament” (3:07)
B2. “Faster Than the Hound” (5:39)
B3. “Silver Spear” (2:06) — adaptation of the traditional jig “The Silver Spear.”
B4. “More Than You Can Chew” (3:18) — incorporates the traditional tune “The March of the King of Laois.”
B5. “The Morrigan’s Dream” (3:25)
B6. “Time to Kill!” (5:02)

Sessions occurred at Escape Studios and The Manor with producer Alan O’Duffy and Horslips; they mixed the album at Olympic.

“Dearg Doom” appeared as an Oats single in Ireland (MOO 4) and the UK (OAT 2), backed with “The High Reel.”

Dancehall Sweethearts

Horslips released their third album, Dancehall Sweethearts, in September 1974 on RCA Victor (US) and Oats.

Dancehall Sweethearts expands their folk-rock framework with brass, denser electric arrangements, and occasional blues inflections. Horslips balance amplified song forms with traditional jigs and reels, continuing their sequence of narrative-driven albums anchored by fiddle, pipes, whistles, and concertina against guitars, organ, and mandolin.

Bassist Barry Devlin wrote most of the album’s ten songs. Drummer Eamon Carr contributed lyrics, and the band arranged two instrumentals derived from traditional sources, including the set dance “King of the Fairies.”

Dancehall Sweethearts opens with “Nighttown Boy,” a brisk, horn-accented track where guitar, keyboards, mandolin, and saxophones interlock over a driving pulse. “The Blind Can’t Lead the Blind” slows the pace, pairing stately electric guitar and circular bass patterns with expressive fiddle and layered choral textures. “Stars” features contoured keyboard lines and blues-tinged guitar figures that climb and dip against a steady rhythmic undercurrent, while “We Bring the Summer With Us” unfolds as a delicate, keyboard-driven instrumental with concertina weaving through sustained, flowing textures. “Sunburst” balances bombastic brass with layered backing vocals, creating a broad, expansive arrangement that contrasts with the tighter interplay of the preceding tracks.

Side two opens with “Mad Pat,” a six-minute, high-energy composition where guitar and fiddle trade intricate lines over propulsive drums and bass. “Blindman” presents a measured, voice-led performance highlighted by expressive fiddle and guitar motifs that rise and fall in tandem. The instrumental “King of the Fairies” compresses a complex array of traditional instruments into a concise, dynamic statement, punctuated by sharp guitar and mandolin flourishes. “Lonely Hearts” revisits the driving, riff-based energy of the opening track, while “The Best Years of My Life” closes the album with a brief, wistful cadence.

A1. “Nighttown Boy” (5:08)
A2. “The Blind Can’t Lead the Blind” (5:20)
A3. “Stars” (5:03)
A4. “We Bring the Summer with Us” (2:32)
A5. “Sunburst” (3:31)

B1. “Mad Pat” (6:17)
B2. “Blindman” (3:33)
B3. “King of the Fairies” (4:40) updates the traditional dance with rapid shifts between tenor banjo, fiddle, and distorted guitar.
B4. “Lonely Hearts” (5:34)
B5. “The Best Years of My Life” (1:49)

Sessions occurred at Rockfield Studios, Wales, with producer-engineer Fritz Fryer and engineers George Sloan and Paul Watkins; Horslips mixed the album at Kingsway Recorders, London.

Dancehall Sweethearts features brass arrangements by Ray Russell and cover photography by Ian Finlay.

Oats issued “Nighttown Boy” as the album’s lead single in 1974.

The Unfortunate Cup of Tea

Horslips released their fourth album, The Unfortunate Cup of Tea, in May 1975 on RCA Victor and Oats.

The album advances their fusion of amplified folk forms and tight rock structures with a sequence that alternates vocal numbers and instrumentals. It marks their second project recorded at Rockfield and sustains their interplay of guitar, fiddle, flute, and keyboards across compact arrangements.

All compositions are credited to Horslips. Devlin, O’Connor, Carr, Fean, and Lockhart arranged the material, shaping both the lyrical and instrumental structures. The album juxtaposes original songs with instrumental interludes, while the title track draws on folk storytelling motifs.

The music alternates between angular, tension-filled passages and more contemplative, melodic interludes. “Self Defence” rises in a winding, accelerating pattern, while the flowing, harmonic instrumental “The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle” offers a measured release. “Flirting in the Shadows” exemplifies nervy, tightly contoured phrasing.

A1. “(If That’s What You Want) That’s What You Get” (7:10)
A2. “Ring-A-Rosey” (4:35)
A3. “Flirting in the Shadows” (5:43)
A4. “Self Defence” (6:12)

B1. “High Volume Love” (5:34)
B2. “The Unfortunate Cup of Tea” (1:14)
B3. “Turn Your Face to the Wall” (6:28)
B4. “The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle” (5:30)
B5. “Everything Will Be Alright” (5:19)

Sessions occurred at Rockfield Studios near Monmouth with Fritz Fryer as producer–engineer.

The Unfortunate Cup of Tea features cover artwork designed by Geoff Halpin with illustrations by Tom Griffin, complemented by photography from Ian Finlay.

RCA issued “(If That’s What You Want) That’s What You Get” as a UK single (b/w “The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle”).

Drive the Cold Winter Away

Horslips released their fifth album, Drive the Cold Winter Away, in late 1975 on Horslips Records.

The album collects traditional Irish tunes and carols arranged for the band’s acoustic instrumentation.

All tracks are traditional arrangements interpreted by Horslips. Devlin, O’Connor, Carr, Lockhart, and Fean are credited with arranging and performing the material, which ranges from medieval hymns to 19th-century ballads.

The album divides between stately processional pieces and sparse vocal airs. Lockhart’s harpsichord and celesta feature on several tracks, O’Connor’s fiddle articulates counterpoint with Fean’s acoustic guitar, and occasional vocals appear in English, Irish, and Manx. Tracks such as “Rug Muire Mac Do Dhia (Mary Bore a Son to God)” and “Denis O’Connor” illustrate delicate phrasing and historical sensitivity, while the title track provides a haunting, contemplative centerpiece.

A1. “Rug Muire Mac Do Dhia (Mary Bore a Son to God)” (1:57)
A2. “Sir Festus Burke / Carolan’s Frolic” (3:41)
A3. “Do’n Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (That Night in Bethlehem)” (3:34)
A4. “The Piper in the Meadow Straying” (2:37)
A5. “Drive the Cold Winter Away” (2:35)
A6. “Thompson’s / Cottage in the Grove” (2:44)
A7. “Ny Kirree Fo Naghtey (The Sheep ’Neath the Snow)” (2:21)

B1. “Crabs in the Skillet” (2:21)
B2. “Denis O’Connor” (2:52)
B3. “The Snow That Melts the Soonest” (4:32)
B4. “Lullaby” (2:30)
B5. “The Snow and the Frost Are All Over / Paddy Fahey’s” (2:53)
B6. “When a Man’s in Love” (4:14)

Sessions occurred at Trend Studios with the band arranging and performing the material; Fred Meijer engineered.

Drive the Cold Winter Away features artwork by Chris Ellis. The cover depicts a winter tableau, reflecting the album’s seasonal and historical themes.

Horslips Live

In 1976, Horslips Live appeared on the Horslips label (MOO 10).

The album presents a document of the band’s stage energy during their peak period, blending traditional Irish music with rock instrumentation. The performances draw heavily from the first four studio albums while also including singles and extended live arrangements.

Horslips wrote most of the material collectively, with Jim Lockhart, John Fean, Charles O’Connor, Barry Devlin, and Eamon Carr contributing to arrangements and instrumental sections. Some songs revisit earlier singles or traditional Irish tunes arranged by the band.

The live performances divide between driving electric sets, acoustic interludes, and traditional reels. Extended passages appear on “Furniture” and “King of the Fairies,” while “Dearg Doom” features Fean’s Les Paul and Lockhart’s keyboards in a climactic display. “Comb Your Hair and Curl It” and “Johnny’s Wedding” conclude the set with multi-instrumental arrangements.

A1. “Mad Pat” (6:49) — from The Táin
A2. “Blindman” (3:15) — from The Táin
A3. “Silver Spear” (2:25) — from The Táin
A4. “High Reel” (2:55) — from Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
A5. “Stars” (4:33) — from The Book of Invasions

B1. “Hall of Mirrors” (6:44) — from The Táin
B2. “If That’s What You Want” (5:30) — non-album single
B3. “Self Defence” (5:50) — from The Táin
B4. “Everything Will Be Alright” (3:30) — from Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
B5. “Rakish Paddy” (0:39) — traditional arrangement

C1. “Rakish Paddy (Cont.)” (2:06) — traditional arrangement
C2. “King of the Fairies” (4:18) — from Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
C3. “Furniture” (15:16) — from The Táin

D1. “You Can’t Fool the Beast” (4:23) — from The Táin
D2. “More Than You Can Chew” (3:04) — from The Táin
D3. “Dearg Doom” (5:12) — from The Táin
D4. “Comb Your Hair and Curl It” (5:00) — from Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
D5. “Johnny’s Wedding” (5:12) — single

The album is co-produced by Jeff Hembrow, Big John Embrow, and Mick McKenna, with Harold Burgon also credited as producer. Lacquer cutting occurs by Porky. Mastering is by TB, mixed by Fred Meijer and Vic Gamm.

The live recording captures Horslips’ raw stage presence rather than polished studio sound, emphasizing instrumental clarity in guitar, keyboards, and traditional instruments.

Horslips Live presents a high-energy snapshot of the band in concert, featuring extended instrumental sections and live interpretations of signature tracks from their early studio albums.

The Book of Invasions

Horslips released their sixth album, The Book of Invasions, on December 10, 1976, on DJM.

The band framed The Book of Invasions as a three-movement suite that advances their amplified Celtic style with recurring motifs, sectional transitions, and densely layered arrangements for fiddle, flute, whistles, keyboards, and electric guitar. They anchor each movement to one of Ireland’s traditional emotional strains—Geantraí, Goltraí, and Suantraí—and build a continuous narrative arc around themes of arrival, conflict, seduction, and departure.

Bassist Barry Devlin wrote most of the material. Drummer Eamon Carr contributed lyrics across the sequence, and the band arranged the instrumental sections collectively.

The album divides into staged episodes. The Geantraí movement rises from quiet pastoral themes into sharp, quickened passages that shift between harmonic guitar figures, tense fiddle lines, and flute-guided transitions. Goltraí moves into ballad-leaning pieces that interweave contoured electric-piano patterns with tightened instrumental episodes. Suantraí closes the work with reflective settings, spare acoustic figures, and a final escalation that pushes violin, organ, and guitar into a vigorous ending.

1st Movement: Geantrái
A1. “Daybreak” (2:30) — instrumental that sets the opening motif with electric-guitar harmonics answered by flute and organ.
A2. “March Into Trouble” (0:51) — brief instrumental turn built on clavichord figurations and acoustic guitar.
A3. “Trouble (With a Capital T)” (3:24) — lyrics describe restless pursuit and mounting tension; vocals shadow the flute line in clipped patterns.
A4. “The Power and the Glory” (3:56) — a tightened rock piece that outlines conflict and ambition through clipped keyboard phrases and forceful fiddle accents.
A5. “The Rocks Remain” (2:49) — lyrics evoke endurance and stasis; arrangement centers on sliding guitar figures with light folk inflections.
A6. “Dusk” (0:37) — instrumental reprise that restates the opening guitar–organ motif before the fiddle cuts in.
A7. “Sword of Light” (4:55) — narrative of trial and ascent; the band intensifies the midsection with interlocked guitar, fiddle, and keyboard lines.
A8. “Dark” (1:37) — instrumental that develops the recurring motif into a fuller, organ-supported cadence.

2nd Movement: Goltrái
B1. “Warm Sweet Breath of Love” (3:26) — lyrics depict romantic resolve; piano drives the pace beneath dual-guitar figures and concertina flourishes.
B2. “Fantasia (My Lagan Love)” (2:55) — instrumental adaptation of the traditional air, arranged for lead guitar, electric piano, and drums.
B3. “King of Morning, Queen of Day” (4:32) — lyrics reference awakening and renewal; arrangement fuses jig-derived figures with electric-piano cycles.

3rd Movement: Suantrái
B4. “Sideways to the Sun” (4:47) — reflective narrative framed by guitar harmonics and violin filigree.
B5. “Drive the Cold Winter Away” (0:35) — instrumental interlude for acoustic guitar and concertina.
B6. “Ride to Hell” (4:07) — closing section that shifts from quiet acoustic phrases into a forceful rock sequence with prominent organ and rapid violin statements.

Sessions occurred at Rockfield Studios in Wales with producer-engineer Alan O’Duffy and assistant engineer Robbie McGrath.

The Book of Invasions features cover design by Charles O’Connor with photography by Ian Finlay and art direction by Eric G. Bannister.

DJM promoted the album with “Trouble (With a Capital T)” (b/w “Dark”), followed by “Warm Sweet Breath of Love” and “The Power and the Glory.”

Tracks From the Vaults

In 1977, the Horslips label issued Tracks From The Vaults, a rarities compilation (MOO 13).

The album collects Horslips’ formative work, including original versions of well-known songs and traditional arrangements filtered through the band’s rock and Irish folk sensibility. Guitarist John Fean, bassist/vocalist Barry Devlin, fiddler/mandolinist/ concertina player Charles O’Connor, drummer Eamon Carr, and keyboardist/flutist/tin-whistle player Jim Lockhart appear throughout. Early contributions from Declan Sinnott and Gus Guest appear on select tracks, while two tracks under the pseudonym Lipstick pay tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Beatles.

Barry Devlin wrote the majority of tracks, while Fean co-wrote several. Covers include Johnny Kidd & the Pirates (“Shakin’ All Over” appears on other Horslips live releases but is not on this compilation), and traditional arrangements include “Dearg Doom” (based on “O’Neill’s Cavalry”) and “The High Reel.”

Musically, the album highlights the band’s early balance of Irish folk instrumentation and rock energy. “Dearg Doom” and “King of the Fairies” display the interplay between Fean’s guitar and O’Connor’s fiddle, while tracks like “Johnny’s Wedding” and “Green Gravel” capture early songwriting and performance energy. The Lipstick tracks introduce playful pop-rock references.

A1. “Motorway Madness” (3:17) – early single recording
A2. “Johnny’s Wedding” (3:27) – Johnny’s Wedding single
A3. “Flower Amang Them All” (2:32) – early single recording
A4. “Green Gravel” (3:24) – early single recording
A5. “The Fairy King” (3:57) – Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
A6. “Dearg Doom” (3:18) – early version from The Táin

B1. “The High Reel” (2:46) – Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
B2. “King of the Fairies” (3:23) – early version from Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
B3. “Phil the Fluter’s Rag” (2:33) – early recording
B4. Lipstick – “Come Back Beatles” (3:29) – Beatles tribute under pseudonym
B5. Lipstick – “The Fab Four-Four” (2:50) – Beatles tribute under pseudonym
B6. “Daybreak” (3:23) – early recording
B7. “Oisin’s Tune” (2:31) – early single recording

Production and engineering details are not specified for the compilation, as it collects various earlier sessions compiled by Alan O’Duffy, Alan Sizer, Fred Meijer, Fritz Fryer, and Michael Deeny.

Tracks from the Vaults features artwork by John Webb, whose cover depicts a surreal, eclectic montage reflecting the archival and experimental nature of the recordings.

Aliens

Horslips released their seventh album, Aliens, in November 1977 on DJM.

The band shifted to an electric, rock-forward sound with tightened rhythms, bright keyboard lines, and guitar-driven settings that frame their narrative on 1840s Irish emigration. They scale back their earlier Celtic instrumentation and emphasize concise, high-energy arrangements that parallel the transatlantic theme.

Bassist Barry Devlin wrote most of the album. Guitarist John Fean co-wrote “Speed the Plough” with the band, and Charles O’Connor contributed lyrics in line with the concept. All instrumental interludes stem from collective composition by Horslips. The set alternates between forceful rock pieces and reflective passages.

Aliens opens with “The Wrath of the Rain,” a galloping, high-energy track anchored by propulsive drums and taut guitar lines. “Sure the Boy Was Green” maintains a brisk pace with angular vocal turns and fluid guitar interplay, while “Come Summer” slows into a contemplative arrangement where flute and keyboards weave through measured rhythmic pulses. “Speed the Plough” highlights layered guitar solos with sharp, climbing motifs over a steady, driving rhythm, contrasting with the more restrained, folk-inflected instrumental passages of “Exiles.”

Later tracks such as “Second Avenue” and “A Lifetime to Pay” combine steady pacing with dynamic shifts in intensity, balancing keyboard flourishes and flute interjections against tense, vocal-led narratives. “Ghosts” closes with a spacious, expressive arrangement, allowing violin, guitar, and voice to interlace in sharp, rising and falling contours.

A1. “Before the Storm” (0:40)
A2. “The Wrath of the Rain” (2:55) opens with a fast, urgent pace that mirrors the pressure of displacement.
A3. “Speed the Plough” (3:30)
A4. “Sure the Boy Was Green” (4:35) moves in clipped, rising patterns that match its theme of forced departure.
A5. “Come Summer” (3:25) slows the pace with flute lines and acoustic figures that allude to older roots.
A6. “Stowaway” (3:27)

B1. “New York Wakes” (4:02)
B2. “Exiles” (3:12)
B3. “Second Avenue” (3:59) uses sharpened riffs and violin phrases to outline the starkness of arrival.
B4. “Ghosts” (3:34)
B5. “A Lifetime to Pay” (4:08)

Sessions occurred at Lombard Studios in Dublin with Alan O’Duffy as producer and engineer.

Aliens features artwork by Geoff Halpin with photography by Ian Finlay.

DJM issued “Sure the Boy Was Green” as the lead single, followed by “The Wrath of the Rain.”

In May 1978, UK DJM issued “Speed the Plough” as a maxi-single with the non-album original “Bridge From Heart to Heart” and a live recording of the fifties rock chestnut ‘Red River Rock.” The Horslips label grouped the three songs with an Invasions cut (‘Trouble (With A Capital T)”) on an EP titled Tour-A-Loor-A-Loor-A-Loor-A (MOO 16).

The Man Who Built America

Horslips released their eighth album, The Man Who Built America, in October 1978 on the Horslips label (MOO 17).

The band pursued a polished, rock-forward sound with emphatic guitar figures, bright synthesizer lines, and compact arrangements that follow their continued narrative on Irish migration and assimilation in the United States. Acoustic textures recede in favor of amplified settings framed by tight rhythms and layered vocals.

Bassist Barry Devlin wrote most of the album. Guitarists Charles O’Connor and Johnny Fean contributed select pieces and arranged instrumental passages with keyboardist–flutist Jim Lockhart, whose parts outline the transitional links between songs.

The Man Who Built America opens with “Loneliness,” a relentless, forward-driving track where rhythm guitars push constantly beneath soaring vocal lines and sharp keyboard interjections. The title track maintains a similar intensity, layering rhythm guitars, synth textures, and bold vocal phrasing to create a dense, energetic attack. “I’ll Be Waiting” slows into a spacious arrangement where interlaced guitar and keyboard lines accentuate the plaintive vocal, while “Green Star Liner” twists with angular guitar turns and sinewy keyboard runs over measured drum patterns.

“If It Takes All Night” stretches with dynamic shifts in pacing, incorporating flute motifs and vintage organ timbres into concise instrumental passages. Throughout the album, Horslips emphasize tight, propulsive rhythms and interlocking instrumental layers, balancing intense, riff-driven songs with more expansive, contemplative pieces that allow flutes, keyboards, and guitars to contour sharply against vocal lines.

A1. “Loneliness” (4:17) opens at a brisk pace with stacked guitar lines and a rising vocal pattern.
A2. “Tonight (You’re With Me)” (3:18)
A3. “I’ll Be Waiting” (6:23) broadens into a slower, expansive shape with sustained harmonies.
A4. “If It Takes All Night” (3:32)
A5. “Green Star Liner” (3:24) moves in clipped, contoured phrases that track the arc of departure.

B1. “The Man Who Built America” (3:36)
B2. “Homesick” (4:00)
B3. “Long Weekend” (3:46)
B4. “Letters From Home” (4:14)
B5. “Long Time Ago” (3:36)

Sessions occurred at Advision Studios in London with Steve Katz as producer and Dec O’Doherty as engineer.

Horslips issued “Loneliness” as the lead single, followed by the title track.

Outside Ireland, The Man Who Built America appeared in January 1979 on DJM with different cover art.

DJM lifted “The Man Who Built America” as a single, backed with “Long Weekend.”

In May 1979, UK DJM issued “Loneliness” (b/w “Homesick”) on clover-shaped green vinyl.

Short Stories/Tall Tales

Horslips released their ninth album, Short Stories/Tall Tales, in October 1978 on Mercury.

The band shifted to a concise, song-driven sound with bright guitars, compact rhythms, and reduced Celtic elements that frame a set of short-form narratives. They emphasize tight vocal lines and direct structures that mark a departure from their earlier conceptual work.

Horslips wrote the album collectively. Barry Devlin supplied the bulk of the material, and Charles O’Connor co-wrote select pieces with Johnny Fean and Jim Lockhart.

The album alternates between fast-paced rock pieces and softer, acoustic-framed songs. “Guest of the Nation” opens in a clipped, rising pattern that underscores its terse subject matter. “Unapproved Road” moves in stepped, contoured phrases that track its tense narrative. “Rescue Me” retreats into a sparse acoustic setting with a reflective tone, while “The Life You Save” reasserts an urgent, electric pace. “Soap Opera” closes the album with brisk turns that highlight their late-period pop focus.

A1. “Guest of the Nation” (3:30)
A2. “Law on the Run” (2:50)
A3. “Unapproved Road” (3:39)
A4. “Ricochet Man” (3:29)
A5. “Back in My Arms” (4:14)

B1. “Summer’s Most Wanted Girl” (3:26)
B2. “Amazing Offer” (3:28)
B3. “Rescue Me” (3:20) — lyrics point to a plea for stability amid isolation
B4. “The Life You Save” (3:46)
B5. “Soap Opera” (3:22)

Sessions occurred at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin with Steve Katz as producer and Dec O’Doherty as engineer. Mastering occurred at Sterling Sound and Customatrix.

Short Stories/Tall Tales features artwork by Dara O’Lochlainn Associates.

Mercury issued “Guest of the Nation” as the album’s single.

The Belfast Gigs

In July 1980, The Belfast Gigs appeared on Horslips (MOO 20) and Mercury.

The album captures Horslips at their rawest and most intricate, performing live at the Whitla Hall, Belfast, on April 29, 30, and May 1, 1980. It functions as a de facto “best of,” drawing material from the band’s early and mid-period albums while emphasizing the energy and precision of their live execution.

Guitarist Johnny Fean, bassist/vocalist Barry Devlin, drummer/percussionist Eamon Carr, multi-instrumentalist Charles O’Connor (guitar, violin, mandolin, vocals), and keyboardist/flutist Jim Lockhart perform with cohesion that balances traditional Irish elements with rock intensity.

The performances highlight a range of material: flute-oriented pieces such as “Trouble with a Capital ‘T’” retain their original contours, while hard-driving guitar passages energize “The Man Who Built America” and “Dearg Doom.” O’Connor’s violin interplay and Carr’s percussion provide rhythmic complexity, and Lockhart’s keyboards shape harmonic textures throughout. Extended solos, particularly on “Power and the Glory” and “Dearg Doom,” emphasize the band’s instrumental virtuosity.

A1. “Trouble with a Capital ‘T’” (3:45) – The Book of Invasions
A2. “The Man Who Built America” (3:38) – The Book of Invasions
A3. “The Warm Sweet Breath of Love” (3:47) – The Book of Invasions
A4. “Power and the Glory” (3:31) – The Book of Invasions
A5. “Blindman” (3:11) – The Táin

B1. “Shakin’ All Over” (5:20) – Johnny Kidd & the Pirates cover
B2. “King of the Fairies” (4:04) – Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part
B3. “Guests of the Nation” (3:10) – The Book of Invasions
B4. “Dearg Doom” (7:16) – The Táin / based on traditional “O’Neill’s Cavalry”

The Belfast Gigs was produced by Steve Katz and engineered by Ralph Moss.

Discography: