David Hope

when you unearth a gem like Irishman David Hope’s second album ‘Scarecrow’ you find yourself forgetting about the review and the deadline and just playing the album because the music really is just that good.
‘Scarecrow’ is an 11 song folk fuelled affair that opens itself to easy comparisons lyrically, vocally and musically to the likes of Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Ray LaMontagne et al. It’s a bit of a surprise that David has flown under the radar somewhat both in Ireland and internationally.
‘Scarecrow’ is an album that changes emotions as often as it changes instruments. Usually this would kill the flow from song to song but the production here is faultless and everything just works, all the while giving us an insight into the artist and his life experiences. The final track of the album Someone Else’s Mind is a truly haunting and thought provoking song about the loss of a friend through depression and suicide. - Goldenplec

A west of Ireland native who is big in Switzerland but sounds like he was raised on Americana in a dusty Nashville dive bar ... Hope’s husky growl proves most effective on the clutch of unembellished, finger-picked folk tunes such as 'Flow' , while the intricate banjo-playing on 'See the Ghost' is thoroughly enjoyable ... there is plenty for fans of the genre to admire amid the sunny strum of 'Daybreak Someplace' and the tenuous, bluesy stalk of the title track.
Download: See the Ghost, Flow - The Irish Times

“Scarecrow showcases soulful songwriting - Hardworking musician, singer and songwriter, David Hope’s new album, Scarecrow, features 11 tastefully penned songs by the big man from Shannon, in Co Clare. The songs reflect Hope’s love of folk/country, soul and blues. Whether as a solo performer, or as front man with The Henchmen, Hope has been honing his craft as a performer in venues throughout Ireland, and, of late, on European trips.” - The Irish Examiner

“….With a rough-hewn voice somewhere between that of Tom Waits and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy (with a touch of Springsteen), Hope combines elements of folk, country, blues and soul on his second album…his songs are strong and have alived-in, authentic, almost sepia-toned feel…are on a par with anything out of the American heartland. - Hot Press Music Magazine

“If he was American a lot more people would probably know about County Clare, Ireland native David Hope, a singer songwriter who is as talented as just about anyone who plays a similar rootsy mix that includes folk, blues and country without ever being one or the other, more an excellent blend of all three. His expressive, powerful vocals have a nice raw gravelly edge that is perfectly suited to his beautifully written and performed songs. They contain more than their fair share of excellent melodies and he proves himself to be a master of mid tempo rootsiness, with an excellent sense of drama in virtually every song. There is nothing that qualifies as filler, with all eleven songs and their variety of tempos, lyrics and degrees of darkness and light blending to form an excellent album by a talented singer songwriter who deserves wider fame, which hopefully this recording will bring.” - American Roots UK

“Now here we have a hidden gem in the world of Folk/Americana music. DAVID HOPE is an Irish singer/songwriter who is releasing his 2nd album with ‘Scarecrow’ and I am safe to say that his voice and music should easily reach all the fans of singer/songwriter folksy pop/rock. Forget JAKE BUGG, because here is David Hope, who might become the next big thing in the music business, because his music sounds like the perfect cross between BOB DYLAN, JOHNNY CASH and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, yet thanks to the superb voice of David himself he gives it an own signature. So, a lot of American influences can be found here and the strongest selling point of this album might be the fact that it contains a great mixture of rockers and acoustic peaceful songs. If you listen closely to the beautiful closing track “Someone else’s mind” you will completely agree with me that we have something remarkable here.” - Strutter'zine

“First notice the voice – the kind generated through hours singing through the early hours in smoke-filled whisky bars; a Jack Daniels, oak-aged, heavy-grained voice with a husky edge that catches your ear. Second, the music – acoustic Americana-tinged folk laid across gutsy guitar breaks that speaks of experiences shared and time-served. All this comes from David Hope on his album ‘Scarecrow’ - and it demands a long hard listen. A native of County Clare in the West of Ireland, David’s songs tell the tales of a travelling man with more than a few miles under his boots, a man that knows the miles between home and faraway. These songs ask nothing, give everything and take no prisoners. His diverse influences slide across Americana folk and rock with a touch of Irish for good measure – and that shows through every note. ‘Scarecrow’ draws a line in the sand and dares you to cross. If you do you will not forget.” - Folkworlds (UK)

“SHANNON singer/songwriter David Hope has released his second album ‘Scarecrow’. The album was part recorded and produced by renowned musician Declan Sinnott (Moving Hearts, Christy Moore, John Spillane) in Declan’s Cork studio and part recorded in Limerick’s Bishop’s Palace. Tracks like ‘Hell or High Water’ and ‘Cloak and Daggers’ were released previously and will already be familiar. The album mixes the bluesy stomp of ‘Rise and Fall’ with the quieter country glide of ‘Daybreak Someplace’. The musicianship is slick and effortless but above all that it is Hope’s warm gritty voice that makes ‘Scarecrow’ an enjoyable listen. The album may have taken some years to get to its release date but quality and melody flow right through to the final track, ‘Scarecrow’ is well worth the wait.” - The Limerick Post

"...the potent mixture of gritty, hard-edged folk-tinged pop and heartfelt acoustic balladry is a tribute to Hope’s versatile song-crafting skills ... a finely-wrought set of songs. If you thought you’d had your fill of fiery, emotional troubadours, then think again very hard. This guy’s very definitely here to stay." - Whisperin' and Hollerin' (U.K.)

'Scarecrow' is the second studio album from singer-songwriter David Hope. It's full of warmth, charm and sentimentality which is the complete opposite to the album title.
Released in Switzerland now and in Ireland in early 2013, Scarecrow found it's way to me and I can't stop listening to it. When an album infiltrates your mind hours after listening to it I'd say that's the right time to review it. The Co. Clare native has released an album of quality roots and folk inspired acoustic music which inspires and soothes in equal measure.

The album contains some re-workings of tracks found on earlier releases such as the wonderfully charming 'Daybreak Someplace' and the roots sounding 'Cloak and Daggers'. Declan Sinnott produced and engineerd a number of tracks including the opener 'Hell or High Water' which can be heard at the end of the review.

For me the best tracks include the catchy 'Fall and Rise', the gritty 'See The Ghost' which showcases David considerable guitar skills and the album closer 'Someone Else's Mind' which finishes the album in fine style.
Scarecrow' ebbs and flows it's way through the eleven tracks. When the title track brings us down a darker edgy path it's balanced off superbly by the warmth of 'Daybreak Someplace' and before you know it the 38 minutes fly by. The lyrics draw you in with each track telling a murky dark tale like 'Chasing Time' or they'll tell and uplifting tale of love or romance such as 'Hell or High Water'. Either way the lyrics are compelling and have the ability to linger around your mind for a while.

'Scarecrow' is a pretty faultless album of great tunes which will most probably make my best of 2013 list next December!

David Hope - Scarecrow [11 out of 12] - 2 U I Bestow

“A combination of folk and rock, with the occasional side note of bluegrass thrown in ... David Hope’s music is a treat both for the ears and for the mind. The ears as a result of Hope and his band’s impeccable musical skill, and the mind as a result of songs that contain some of the more thoughtful lyrics out there .. In terms of the sound of the music itself, the best word to describe it would be “warm.” It was simply great, energizing but easy-going folk rock music. Perhaps the best of many great songs Hope and the band played that night was a song called “Daybreak Someplace,” which belongs in a film as the theme song for a wandering protagonist.Hope sings in a gruff but pitch-perfect voice ... The theme of wandering and trying to find one’s place and identity is a strong one throughout Hope’s catalogue. If one were looking for a parallel in American popular music, I’d say that Hope resembles a more folk-oriented Bruce Springsteen.” - The Daily Bruin, UCLA

“Jaunty is not a word I use very often in reviews, but it's perfect for the title track of David Hope & The Henchmen EP, "Hell Or High Water". With a band behind him David Hope has more of an Americana sound to his music, but you can still hear a Celtic edge coming through. In The Henchmen he has found a duo of musicians of quality and got a beautifully balanced sound as well delightfully arranged backing vocals and harmonies. There's a real uplifting feel to the EP despite the dark nature of the lyrics, you get the feeling Mr. Hope takes his surname literally. ” - FATEA Music Magazine

“I still can't believe how many variations there are of one person and their guitar, the different sounds, styles and timbre delivered by one voice and one instrument, which is essentially what David Hope is. Sure he's joined by other musicians and vocalists, but they are the icing and buttercream on an already delicious cake. "Daybreak Someplace" is a title that sort of sounds country and it is, but tempered with a Celtic folk growl. At seven songs long, it's shorter than I would have liked, but I'd also rather hear seven good and true songs than an album with padding.” - FATEA Music Magazine

Plugging into the rustic folk style of Dave Hope, the video is slowly and wistfully arranged. Being shot in an antique vehicle yard in Halfway Co. Cork, the aesthetic of the ruined vehicles lends a rustic, run-down feel to the video, and it suits the Henchmen’s sound perfectly.

The track itself is a straight up piece of folk. Produced by Declan Sinnott, the song rests on its lyricism, its nature and its guitar melodies. It doesn’t blow you away with its ingenuity, but it’s such a nicely composed and pleasant song, that it very easily wins you over. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more from these guys in the future. - Drop-d.ie

Venerdì 5 serata di prestigio a Borgo San Giuseppe di Cuneo con il folk profondo ed appassionato del giovane cantautore irlandese David Hope
PER LA SUA SESTA EDIZIONE IL ROCKIN’BORG PROPONE L'APPUNTAMENTO MUSICALE CON L’ARTISTA D'OLTREMANICA E CON ALCUNI GRUPPI LOCALI
SERGIO PORRACCHIA - I vulcanici, efferati nu-metal torinesi Linea 77 sono protagonisti a Farigliano della seconda serata della manifestazione Concerto per un Amico. Il grande musicista africano Mory Kante suona al Teatro Colosseo di Torino.

DAVID HOPE (www.davidhope.ie) sarà in concerto alle 22 sul piazzale antistante alla chiesa di Borgo San Giuseppe nell'ambito del festival RockinBorg, serata in programma nell'ambito dei festeggiamenti patronali.

Questa è la sesta edizione del festival e negli anni sul palco si sono alternati artisti di spessore quali Giorgio Canali, già chitarra dei CSI ed ora solista con i Rossofuoco e chitarrista di PGR, e diversi gruppi locali.
Nato in Irlanda nel 1980, ha cominciato a comporre musica giovanissimo influenzato dal blues, folk, rock e roots music e, per sua stessa ammissione, da numi tutelari quali Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul Simon and Tom Petty. Nel 1988 ha approfondito lo studio della musica alla London School of Music. Ritornato nella sua terra ha cominciato a suonare ovunque: agli angoli delle strade e nei pub fino ad approdare, oggi, nei teatri ed in televisione.
Ha collaborato con molti artisti irlandesi ed internazionali quali, tra gli altri, Mary Black, Jack L e la leggendaria Mary Coughlan. Il suo primo ep autoprodotto ha attirato l'attenzione di Terry Woods, colonna portante dei Pogues e dei Sweeny's Men. Con questi ha prodotto il suo album d’esordio "A Picture" (Cdworld, 2007). La registrazione è avvenuta in un piccolo studio nel West Cork privilegiando il suono live ed acustico. L’empatia spontanea tra la scrittura appassionata di Hope e la sensibilità musicale di Woods ha prodotto un album sincero, profondo ed emotivo.

Woods è riuscito nell’intento di mettere in risalto tutta l’interiorità e la maturità espressiva di questo giovane cantautore, ad esaltarne il respiro ampio ed evocativo, il sapore franco, diretto e classico della sue composizioni.
Da segnalare, oltre alla presenza alla produzione artistica, il mandolino ed il banjo di Terry Woods, anche Paul Harrigan all’accordeon e violino, Olly ‘the kid’ Betts (dei The Duke of Spirit) alla batteria, alcune linee vocali della giovane cantautrice Louise McMahon ed il controcanto di Mary Coughlan.
In questi giorni, tra il 20 ed il 30 gennaio, David Hope è impegnato in un mini tour italiano al quale seguirà il tour negli Stati Uniti. - Cuneo Cronaca

Watch this space ... - Hotpress Music Magazine

"Names Like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul Simon and Tom Petty spring to mind but all with a core that's unmistakeably Irish......."

Andrew Hamilton - Clare People - The Clare People

'David 'Hope and Glory' is the real name. I want more of that.' - Dave Fanning - broadcaster and producer, 2FM

Hailing from the not-so-far-away Shannon Co. Clare, David Hope delivers a seven track E.P of heartfelt folk tunes guided by Hopes moving vocal dexterity.

“See the Ghost” and “The Cuckoos Return” ebb and flow with endearing warmth that’s quite rare nowadays. In “Our War” Hope projects Nick Cave-like punching vocals and lyrical depth with lines like “I am blood, I am bloodshed, I am blood”

Hopes’ music would flow aptly with a film soundtrack which depicts some sort of driving/journey scene across an expansive panoramic landscape. There is a lot of soul put into this record, and that soul can be heard with every note. - Limerick Events Guide

David Hope plays and sings like a semi-soused railway hobo from the Southern USA I offer that analogy as a form of high praise. His acoustic folk music has roots that rise from deep in the heartland of Ireland flowering in a lilting sound led masterfully.
- Limerick Events Guide

One of Ireland's hottest songwriters David Hope has embarked another chapter of music for our listening pleasure and this seven track EP is at the peak of fine Irish folk music, from the first song "See the Ghost" spilling out some pure folk blues and foot tapping melodies to the serenity of track 3 "Trying to Remember" with it's simple chord structures and mood shifting lyrics,to finishing off the EP with "When We were Kings" full of beautiful lyrics wrapped in a soft sound, this has to be the finest chapter in David's music career. - Music Review Unsigned

There are many people out there who are saying wonderful things about David Hope. Stephen James Smith for one was tweeting and bulletting about David's gig in Whelans a few months back. Mary Coughlan ... says many good things and Dave Redfearn who plays guitar for Odi passed this EP onto me for a review.

There are seven tunes on the EP. The Cuckoo's Return is a bluesy instrumental which sits in the middle of the seven tunes. The title track is one of the best song's I've heard this year. The lyrics are superb on the whole EP but he hits a nerve with 'Daybreak Someplace' and 'Watch Over You'. The other songs are good acoustic folk songs brought to life with David's strong vocal properties. Overall it's a really good EP. I do hope that the songs 'Daybreak Someplace' and 'Watch Over You' gets onto a full length album in the future. - 2 U I Bestow

David Hope & the Henchmen, then, are one of the very best Roots-related outfits operating at present. They seamlessly blend Folk and Roots inflections with grittily intelligent lyrics and enviably catchy choruses which simply cry out for airplay. They’ve finally got all that down on record and they’ve pulled it off in style. Game on. - Whisperin' and Hollerin'

... some fantastic roots music with hints of bluegrass style playing over Irish traditional music, the lyrics on this album have a very moving and heart touching soul to them, very well written and produced. Maybe David could be Ireland's answer to our own Cash or even Dylan? Very relaxed and yet “A Picture” makes great listening right to the end of this 10 track thriller ... What a superb album…. - Music Review Unsigned

“…’Hell or High Water’ is a melting pot of traditional American country, traditional Irish and rootsy Americana. The Declan Sinnott production on the track allows Hope’s vocals to breathe while surrounded by a fantastic arrangement. Subtle electric guitar licks and bass never overpower while a brushed snare rhythm drives the track on.” - nessymon.com

“Quality first single from the recently formed group, David Hope & The Henchmen … it’s a great introduction to the band who have a bunch of amazing songs in them!” - 2 U I Bestow

"A fantastic mix of American folk with a distinct Irish twang proving they are loyal to their roots. The catchy rhythm pulls you in and the clever lyrics captivate and keep you listening. It’s a single pulled off in style that just calls out for attention. It deserves airplay reminding me somewhat of a rawer and more folky Mumford and Sons, and a cleaner, less edgy Sea Sick Steve ... this EP from the Cork folk group proves they have a lot of great songs in them." - Golden Plec Irish Music Magazine

"On the ‘Hell or High Water’ EP David Hope’s gritty and gravel-like voice soars over the band rootsy melodic musicianship. As fresh as a westerly summer breeze. Dave Hope’s music is effortlessly natural and authentic." - The Limerick Post

"David Hope, from just out the road there by the airport(Shannon Co Clare), plays guitar and sings like a semi-soused railway hobo from the Southern United States, and I offer that analogy as a form of high praise. His acoustic folk music has roots and these roots rise from deep in the heartland, flowering in a rounded and lilting sound led masterfully by David’s strong gravelly voice. David is a storytelling troubadour and the Belltable Sessions will offer him the perfect platform to lay out his tuneful tales." - Limerick Events Guide