Gary Quinn - 'Gary Quinn'
By www.thedailycountry.com

He has been described as having a modern sound with echoes of the past. Irish recording artist Gary Quinn is an award winning singer songwriter whose songs will touch your heart. 

Born and raised in Ireland, Gary grew up listening to Kris Kristofferson and fell in love with the country music of the 1990s, especially Garth Brooks. He has performed as part of the CMA Songwriters Series with Bob DiPiero and Kristin Bush of Sugarland as well as the Belfast Nashville Songwriter's Festival and the Belfast Nashville Songwriter Showcase.

His self titled release contains ten songs, all of which were written or co-written by Gary. The songs include heartfelt ballads, mid-tempo country songs and ones that would be right at home in a honky tonk. His vocals adapt quite nicely between the songs: warm and emotive on the ballads; spirited and humorous on other tracks.

The gentle piano on "Spoken Like A Man" is a lovely way to open the record. The mid-tempo love song is about the "little things" a man does to say I love you.

The second track was named British Country Music's Song of the Year for 2013. "He Don’t Show Her Anymore" is perhaps my favorite track on the record. It is a sadly beautiful ballad about a man who focuses on work instead of the one he loves. The little things he used to do are now a memory, from asking about her day to bringing her a gift: "He might say he loves her but he don't show her anymore."

"The Power of You and Me" is a song about choosing to continue a relationship, starting over or even ending it. Expressing that two people can rewrite their fairy tale if they would care "more about the two of us and less about ourselves.... we can make it all come true if we just believe in the power of me and you."

"Love To Watch You Leave" and "On Your Way Out" would fit right in played at the honky tonks on Broadway in Nashville. The former is about admiring a woman from behind. The latter is classic country song with piano, steel guitar, humor and a melody you will want to two step to. He sings "I won't miss the way you scream and shout, so make sure the door don't hit you on your way out." 

In "Dodge You Bullet" he sings about how he could not avoid falling in love with a woman. She turned the tables and captured his heart and although he tried, "This burning deep inside says I couldn't dodge your bullet." 

"Forget About You" has him remembering and regretting a past love when he sees her after some time. In "A Day I Find Love" he is thinking about the day when "a miracle will fall upon me, this loneliness will be lost far behind me."

"Live Each Day" will have you toe tapping along from the very first note. The song has very inspiring lyrics and a positive message, and is another personal favorite. "Live each day like it was your last/You can't see the future, can't change your past/You can only grab the moment of today."  

"Rewind," a melancholy, yet touching ballad, closes the album. In the song, he compares a relationship to a movie, one which has "a twist he didn't see coming."

4 Stars

Gary Quinn - 'Gary Quinn'
By Ian Ambrose of Maverick Magazine
http://www.maverick-country.com
 
Self penned debut album described as having a cool modern sound with echoes of the past

First up, congratulations to Gary Quinn upon creating this album, as it is way beyond anything that I could ever achieve. That said, the thing is causing me a severe headache - I have nothing bad to say about this album, the only reason it has two stars is down to a question of taste. Simply put this is not my cup of tea—at all.

The ten tracks contained therein are all very well written, played and sung; in fact the accompanying press release comes complete with a glowing quote from David Allan that, if you are a fan, is undoubtedly accurate. I just don’t hear it, to me it is over arranged, cluttered contemporary country-pop that could be sung by any one of the many male purveyors of similar fare. Think Ronnie Milsap or Larry Gatlin in their pomp and if, like me, you prefer their simpler arrangement you will appreciate my dilemma.

That being said, there are two songs that stand out, for the reason already outlined, Dodge Your Bullet and A Day I Find Love are songs that I will happily play again. Due to the arrangements being much more sympathetic rather than the more competitive nature—which I found on the other tracks.

However, I have been saving the best until last, as well as being a solo performer there is also a Gary Quinn Band and if, in concert, they could turn out an hour’s worth of honky tonk songs such as the excellent On Your Way Out I Would Be A Happy Man, as it is a terrific tune with piano and steel well to the fore.

There we are, a fan would definitely double the number of stars that I have awarded, but if there is a live recording of the Gary Quinn Band coming shortly; then I will be in the queue for it.
2 stars


Gary Quinn - 'Gary Quinn'
By www.NewCountryUK.co.uk

Being 'New Country UK' it gives me great pleasure to review a new Country album by a UK based artist. The fact that it is such a quality offering is a huge bonus!
Gary Quinn was born & raised in Ireland and is now based in North England. He has performed live on both sides of the Atlantic and with some of the biggest names in the genre (including Nanci Griffith, Gene Watson, Bob DiPiero & Kristian Bush). Gary had previously released a 5-track EP 'This Cowboy's Heart', but this new album is his full debut. The album was part-funded by a highly-successful Pledge campaign, I am proud to say that I was one of many to pledge money to help the artist to release this album...money very well spent!
The album kicks off with the mid-tempo track 'Spoken Like A Man', the piano intro gives way to an incredibly catchy guitar riff which drives the song, throughout the softly sung verses and particularly on the big choruses. The song sounds fantastic, with an impressive modern and slick production to rival anything offered up on a major label release.
Track two is the gorgeous ballad 'He Don't Show Her Anymore', the sad tale of a man with misplaced priorities. As the song describes, he may tell his partner that he loves her but... 'he don't show her anymore'. It is sung beautifully by Quinn, conveying the regret in the lyrics, accompanied by some wonderful, mournful steel guitar playing. Unsurprisingly this song has won song-writing awards for Gary and is one of the stand-out tracks on this album.  
Check out the official video for 'He Don't Show Her Anymore'
The tempo picks up with the mid-tempo shuffle of 'The Power Of Me And You', with its' positive message in believing in love. Then the album really starts rocking with the next track 'I Love To Watch You Leave'. The opening bluesy-slide guitar kicks the song off and it never slows down with its' tongue planted firmly in its' cheek! One heck of a fun track that is guaranteed to get your toe-tapping and stirred up memories of the rockers that the great Vince Gill recorded in his 90's pomp, wonderful stuff.
Track five is, in my opinion, quite possibly the stand-out track on the album. 'Dodge Your Bullet' is an incredibly well-written track, based around the theme of being shot by cupid's arrow and falling in love. Gary knows he is in trouble after he 'caught that look that you fired in my direction' and is then helpless to watch as 'you loaded up your gun with your smile, and set your sight on driving me wild'. The clever and inventive lyrics continue throughout the song, which has a suitably moody and suspenseful feel. Another track that would not sound out of place on US Country radio. Brilliant.
'Live Each Day' is a feel-good track with a worthy message of following your dreams and living life to its' full potential, featuring a particularly well sung chorus by Quinn. Up next is 'Forgot About You', another highlight of the album. Whilst definitely Country (as is the entire album) this ballad has a soulful feel to it and is another track to feature wonderful steel guitar playing. 'Forgot About You' also keeps up the high quality of song-writing, it may be covering familiar ground but has found a fresh way of delivering a tale of a man desperately trying to get over a former love, with a clever lyrical hook at the end of the chorus.
'A Day I Find Love' is a powerful ballad, on which Gary is accompanied by strong female background vocals in the chorus. The two voices blend incredibly well and elevate the track to another level. The penultimate track 'On Your Way Out' cranks up the pace again and shuffles along with boogie style piano & steel licks. A rare track in Country music where the singer is actually glad to see their partner leave, Gary sounds like he's having a ball!
The album closes with 'Rewind', a Country ballad of real class. The song focuses on a heartbroken man wishing he could rewind his own life, as if it were a film, and go back to the moment he and his former partner fell in love. Refreshingly the track also sees the singer realise the failings in this plan. Wonderfully sung, brilliantly written, a strong ending to the album.
I strongly urge all UK Country fans to get hold of a copy of this fantastic album. Not only to support the UK Country music scene but also because you really need to hear the music being recorded by Gary Quinn. A highly talented singer, whose vocals sound perfectly at home in Country music and are particularly effective on the slower ballads, Gary is also an incredibly gifted songwriter. The ballads on 'Gary Quinn' will resonate emotionally with you and the mid-tempo/fast paced tracks will stick in your head for days with their catchy hooks. The quality of the lyrics throughout really shine suggesting that Gary has really honed his craft and is determined to offer something original and fresh in all of his songs. I love this album and you will too!
Get your copy of 'Gary Quinn' here
NCUK Rating - 9/10 

Gary Quinn “Gary Quinn”
By Andy Watson www.UKCountrymusic.net

Born and raised in Ireland Gary Quinn is the singer-songwriter that certainly knows how to work an audience’s feelings both on stage and through new self-titled album Gary Quinn which consists of ten original songs all written and/or co-written by Quinn. The album welcomes you open armed with beautiful piano key notes setting the scene for Spoken Like A Man and the album as a whole. This slow tempo song perfectly showcases Quinn as an artist and gives that succulent taster into the main course, which the rest of the album has to offer.

Country music to me offers a more personal experience knowing that the artist can perform as well as song write and He Don’t Show Her Anymore couldn’t prove that statement anymore true. Every lyric has meaning, depth, honestly… just to name a few descriptive words. The song is about a man who puts his career before love and sang from the female perspective “he might say he loves her, but he don’t show her anymore…

The tempo soon picks up with the upbeat The Power Of Me and You and the cheeky, old school—yet with a modern twist—I Love to Watch You Leave. By this time and if you’re anything like me your smiling, foot tapping and double clapping away! All the key ingredients for a brilliant album from any genre. If there was ever a song describing how to live our lives then Live Each Day is a perfect example. Throughout Gary Quinn the music composition is splendid with a great mix of instruments being used with vocals being flawless and emotion on every lyric.

Dodge Your Bullet has a Johnny Cash feel to it with a hard hitting story behind the song and almost sounding dangerous; a song performed by Quinn that stands out on the album for sure. I Forgot About You, A Day I Find Love, and On Your Way Out begin to round up the album but not without one final installment; the last track on Gary Quinn is Rewind a real country music love song and is the perfect way to end the album. This particular song is one of those, whether be it a studio rendition, as on Gary Quinn, or sang live acoustically is sublime.

Recommended Tracks:

He Don’t Show Her Anymore, The Power Of Me And You, I Love To Watch You Leave, Dodge Your Bullet, Live Each Day, I Forgot About You, A Day I Find Love, Rewind

Overall:
So what can you expect when you press play on Quinn’s new self-titled album? That’s an easy question to answer; you will find a modern country music sound, personal heart felt and fun cheeky lyrics making you smile profoundly , finding yourself pressing play once more and thinking to yourself “Whens the next album due?!”.

Quinn has produced an album perfectly capturing his own unique sound which remains true to Country music. Whether new to the country music genre or a dedicated fan this album will not disappoint.

UKCM Rating: 8/10

Gary Quinn - 'Gary Quinn'
By www.hittingalltherightnotes.com

British country music singer-songwriter Gary Quinn has recently released his debut self-titled album. Gary has released multiple EPs in the past and turned to his fans to help finance his album (via Pledge Music). He is becoming an increasingly better known name after playing concerts such as the CMA Songwriter Series concert earlier this year in London and as part of CMA Music Fest last year in Nashville.

His album portrays a very accomplished sound with a welcome focus upon Gary's vocals. He Don't Show Her Anymore is, in my opinion, one of the stand-out tracks from the album. The stripped back instrumentalisation works well and Gary delivers an emotive, strong vocal. With lines such as "he might say he loves her, he don't show her anymore" and "as his career is on the rise, she falls further from his eyes", the track also highlights Gary's songwriting talents. He Don't Show Her Anymore has also gained a Song Of The Year nomination at this year's British Country Music Awards.

Another highlight is the soft-sounding Rewind. Instrumentally similar to He Don't Show Her Anymore, in my opinion tracks like this are where Gary's voice really shines. The softer instrumentalisation that grows and fades also adds an extra dynamic to the track. The reoccurring movie imagery through lines like "as the reel of fate rolls on" and "just like time the storyline must go on" works really well .










Whilst one of my least favourite tracks on the album, On Your Way Out is sure to appeal to fans of a more upbeat side to Gary's vocals. The punchy instrumentalisation gives the track a gutsier feel than some of the others however as previously said I prefer the more stripped back side to Gary's voice.

I would definitely recommend checking out Gary's album, he is a very strong singer and delivers a sincere, emotive performance throughout. It's great to see such strong music coming out of Britain!

Gary Quinn- 'Gary Quinn' Review
By Em_T www.52weeksofcountry.com

I was lucky enough to get sent Gary Quinn's latest self- titled album. If you do not know who Gary Quinn he is a UK Country Artist. He seems to be on track to success with gaining two nominations at the British Country Music Awards 2013. This is probably because of his sound. If you are a fan of Brad Paisley or Joe Nichols I think you will like Gary Quinn. Despite his UK roots he has embraced the country music genre with ease and this album proves it. I could easily see this album finding a home in Nashville and not sounding out of place. Quinn also gives a fresh perspective to modern country music and stays away from the clichés of drinking, parting, trucks and country pride. Instead Quinn has stuck more to the traditional country music roots and singing those heart-breaking songs which made the genre famous. It is refreshing hearing decent lyrics and storytelling songs which some successful artist do not seem to find important anymore.                                                

A song which I feel really shows how 'Nashville ready' Gary Quinn really is, is the song 'The Power Of Me And You'. To me this song sounds like it has been pulled off  a Brad Paisley album. It is well written, music and lyric wise. This is probably one of my favourite songs on the album. Other notable tracks are 'He Don't Show Her Anymore' which gained a nomination for 'Song Of The Year' at the BCMA and 'A Day I Find Love' which again holds a slight Brad Paisley feel to it.
 
Personally I really enjoyed listening to this album and recommend you guys to listen.

Gary Quinn 'Gary Quinn'
By
www.threechordsandthetruthuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Gary Quinn has, with the help of the Pledge platform, finally put out a full length release of original material to follow up a brief but impressive EP in the latter months of last year. This highly pro-active and talented songwriter is part of a UK element out to demonstrate that good quality contemporary country music to rival the output of Music Row is alive and thriving this side of the pond.
These 10 self-penned tracks do include a couple of strong songs that appeared on Gary's previous recording but 'Live Each Day' and 'He Don't Show Her Anymore' are well worth sharing with audiences new to his work. Of the new songs the definite stand out is the traditional feel to 'On Your Way Out' which like several of the key tracks is rich in pedal steel. While there are undercurrents of a pop sound, this is unmistakably a solid and refreshing country release that has the potential to project Gary beyond the sometimes narrow confines of the UK country scene