Tir Na Nog expanded their horizons on their 1972 sophomore release by adding drums (
Barry DeSouza) and bass (
Larry Steele), as well as some effective string arrangements. Produced by the legendary
Tony Cox (
Caravan,
Françoise Hardy,
Family),
A Tear and a Smile retained all of
Sonny Condell and
Leo O'Kelly's offbeat phrasing, playful melodic deviations, and pastoral balladry, while subtly turning an eye to the prospects of a little commercial appeal. The easy folk-rock of
O'Kelly''s "When I Came Down" and "The Same Thing Happening" wouldn't have sounded out of place on the country-rock-heavy airwaves of U.S. radio, and even though
Condell's lighthearted
Noël Coward imitation on the bouncy "Bluebottle Stew" is like listening to a half-baked
Monty Python skit, it works because -- like everything on
A Tear and a Smile -- it's executed so sincerely.
Tir Na Nog were more than mediocre, but a few songs shy of great, and fans of
Ralph McTell,
the Dransfields, and
Cat Stevens will find common ground and much to love here.