Just a guitar and a female voice weaving an emotional journey using words and melody.......no hype, just good original singer songwriters.

14 MP3 Songs in this album (57:51) !
Related styles: Folk: Folk Pop, Easy Listening: Adult contemporary, Type: Acoustic

People who are interested in Annie Lenox Joni Mitchelle Kate Bush should consider this download.


Details:
In order to give a first time listener an idea of what they sound like we asked NFA who they thought they sound like.

âWell, that is a difficult one.â said Tony, âBut to put it in a basic way, Una sings with a voice that has been likened to Sandy Denny, Judith Durham, Eva Cassidy and Joni Mitchell.â
âOur songs may not be in the same league as these artists but we would like to think we are writing songs in a similar style to Joni Mitchell, Sandy Denny, James Taylor, Dougie MacLean. But I guess, ultimately, our songs need listeners to sit down, play the tracks and make up their own minds.â

If you are thinking of buying the album but want to listen to some samples, then go to their main Freewebs web site and you will find a links to one minute samples of all the tracks, so you can listen before buying. The album will be available via digital download sites and if you would prefer a hard copy, you can order one from their main Freewebs website.

We asked NFA to comment on the individual tracks on the album, to give a potential listener some insights.

Track 1: Heading West

âAt first glance, a song about the sinking of the Titanic but scratch deeper and, as with all good things, there is a sub-plot...............it would be unfair to tell you any more.â says Una.

Track 2: Sweet Ballerina

âAgain, a story put to a melody - a bitter sweet song with a universal theme. The song draws you in and reflects on what could be or was.â said Tony.

Track 3: Mr Sunshine

âOne of my favourite songs to start the day!â said Una. âSome days, the best days, are when you wake up and, for some reason, you donât have a care in the world -just a smile on your face and itâs a joy to be alive. They donât happen very often for me but when they do, I make the most of them!â said Una.

Track 4: When We Were Kings

âThis is our âWhere did all the time go?â moment.â said Tony. âWe have all done it - stopped and looked back and thought, âI wish I had done that!â When you get a few years behind you, a subtle process happens, unnoticed, until the day you realise that the past takes more of your time than the future.â

Track 5: East Coast Town

âAgain, one of my favourites.â said Una. âThis is a story â a picture from a festival we performed at. One night, we had done our bit on the fringe of the festival, bought fish and chips and found a bench on the cliff top to eat them. As we were sitting there, the show at the theatre on the end of the pier finished and out poured the people. Yet there we were, somehow, voyeurs - not part of it. A strange night!â Una mused.

Track 6: Behind Closed Doors

âThere is a dark history of abuse of women in Ireland, my home country.â said Una. âStories still come out about the abuse that was endemic in the institutions there. It is a national shame and this song is my attempt at opening up the story. It is a powerful song about something that makes me shudder.â said Una.

Track 7: Half of the Day

âA change of style for us, on this songâ said Tony, âa more jazzy feel and again a story about a lady we met on our travels. I like the phrase used in âSilence of the Lambsâ. Hannibal Lector says to Clarice, âThe world is more interesting with you in it.â That phrase just sums up how I feel. I just love meeting characters that stretch your personal boundaries.â

Track 8: Home for the Lost and Bewildered

âThis was a difficult song to write.â said Tony. âAt one stage it was a very dark song but it didnât feel right, so we re- wrote it and I think we have captured the feeling we wanted. If you have ever felt that the world is racing by you and you are walking on a different piece of road from everyone else, then you are not alone.â

Track 9: Danced Round the Table

âThis is a beautiful song and I just love singing it!â said Una. âThere is something magical about the song that gets to me every time I sing it. Maybe it is a wish to love or be loved, so much that, when one of you dies, the other cannot live without the one who has gone.â

Track 10: Memories

âI grew up on a farm in Ireland and this is the song all about my memories of that time.â said Una. âIt is a happy and simple song about simple things but I guess, when you are a child, you see only a small picture. Although, some days I wish I was that child again and life would be that easy.â

Track 11: Whatâs the Story?

âAgain, a song about a lady we met on out travels.â said Tony. âShe was such a lady of mystery. She would hint at things just to tantalise you, then say no more. After meeting her we both said, âI wonder what her story really is.â It was a great idea for a song, as it gave us freedom to invent a life for her.â

Track 12: Bucannonâs War

âWe love stories about myths and legends,â said Tony, âstories like Robin Hood or King Arthur and this is our addition to the canon of legend stories.â

Track 13: The Taxiâs Waiting

âWe have all done it - had a row and want to get away from each other.â said Una. âWell, all we have done here is put a row into a song and maybe let off a bit of steam. Got to go now, the Taxiâs waiting.....â

Track 14: The Midnight Bus

âWe thought this would be a great way to finish the album.â said Tony. âThis is dedicated to all those ladies who, maybe only once a week, get the chance to have fun. So they go for it in a big way!â âYou see them up and down the land, queuing to get into the night club, wearing nothing but a belt in minus 5 temperatures!â said Una âwhile I am in a car, wrapped up with the heater on!â

Una and Tony hope you enjoy listening to the album and would invite you to join their mailing list by e-mailing them via their main freewebs web site

No Fixed Abode will be putting together a tour to promote their new album in the New Year.

BIOGRAPHY

Una Walsh
Una comes from Castle Bellingham Co Louth Ireland. It sound corny but Una's mother says Una was singing before she could talk. Initially Una used to sing herself to sleep. While attending church with her mother the local priest spotted her voice and encouraged her to sing as a soloist during Sunday mass.
After winning local singing competitions Una auditioned for the Bunratty Castle singers, this is an award winning singing troop that performed traditional Irish songs at banquets in the castle for tourists. Soon after joining Una was promoted to principle singer and sang solo for many years. During her time at Bunratty Una sang for many famous people including Bruce Willis, Debbie Moore, Terry Wogan, Peter Allis and many international politicians.
Una met Tony at Bunratty Castle and moved to England six years ago. There was no intention to make music together but it soon became clear that it would not be a bad idea to try to write some songs together. This led to the first album Strange Folk.
Una's musical background is show songs and she remembers flying to London with her mother to go to the west end musicals. Although her farther has now passed on Una regularly goes back to Ireland to visit her mom and brother Rodger and his family.
Tony Dean
Tony was born in Manchester and spent his early life living in Heald Green. At secondary school Tony's interest in music led to him take up the trumpet at 13 and he played in the Manchester YMCA brass band. At 16 Tony got his first guitar, the guitar had to take second place to his day job and his musical ambitions were put on hold until Una and Tony decided to perform together.
Tony has always had a keen interest in music and has many influences from Deep Purple to Kate Bush! As a late developer Tony only started writing songs in 2000. Due to the success of No Fixed Abode Tony gave up his day job in 2004 to work full time on the songs.