IRISH COFFEE-IRISH COFFEE-

This album was released in 1971. The band originated from Alst, East Flanders in Belgium and best remembered for the chartbreaking single “Masterpiece” from 1970.

The style of the album is described as hard/Heavy/blues rock and you might add som seasoning of prog into that recipe. The production is a bit thin but never the less good and have stand the test of time.

Guitarist and vocalist William Souffreau owns a peculiar, personal voice that sets Irish Coffee in their own legue of European rock bands at this time. Heavy influences from British grand acts like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep is unavoidable.

The other guitarist Jean Van Der Schueren makes a good impression and bassplayer Willy De Bisschop got a great groove to his playing. The most brilliant player, besides the drummer, is keyboard player Paul Lambert. A very important contribution to this Album and a hard beaten musician on the black and Whites. The songs are strong, melodic but a bit shallow sometimes. All tunes are original Writings so in that sense this is a very good debut.

Whatabout the drummer, Hugo Verhoye?? Here´s a player with fast foward technique, light striking but very consistened and some cool backbeating Always in his pocket. Very nice!! Great Dynamics in softer songs just put his playing style up a notch. Here are some things to bring on home.

Though Irish Coffee had great succes back home in Belgium and in France the never really got the big break. To bad, because this is a very good hard/Heavy/ blues album so maybe with a better producer it could have been a Belgian Blue(s) steroid album… 🙂

If you´re in for early 70´s harddriven organ rock with excellent vocals and brilliant guitar, this is an easy recommendation for you to buy. Great reissues are out there so don´t hesitate when the price is right.

VINYLRATING/GRADE

6-GOOD!-WORTH BUYING-