Personnel: Mary Black, Emmylou Harris (vocals); Declan Sinnott (acoustic & electric guitars, synthesizer, background vocals); Bill Shanley (guitar); Donal Lunny (bouzouki, synthesizer); Frank Gallagher (fiddle, synthesizer, tin whistle); Caroline LaVelle (cello); Pat Crowley (accordion, electric piano, background vocals); Carl Geraghty (soprano & tenor saxophones); Maire Bhreatnach (synthesizer); Garvan Gallagher, Jim Tate, Eoghan O'Neill (bass); Dave Early, Noel Eccles (drums, percussion); Noel Bridgeman (percussion); Liam Bradley (background vocals).
Producers: Declan Sinnott, Mary Black, Eleanor McElvoy, Noel Eccles.
Engineers include: Billy Robinson, Dan Fitzgerald, Andrew Boland.
LOOKING BACK, Mary Black's 1995 collection of pop songs from four of her earlier albums, showcases the Irish folkie's eclectic, resonant work and includes two new tracks. Delicate and sensitive one minute, growling and defiant the next, Mary Black has the ability to turn herself inside out, getting into the heart and soul of the characters she sings about. The album begins with the single "Soul Sister" where Black musically unites all women through the love, devotion, and even the missteps that they all share on their travels. "No Frontiers," luminously sung with an upbeat and hopeful vibe, implores listeners to always keep their hearts open without any boundaries. Black, known for her lilting soprano, uses her lower register to great dramatic effect on "Ellis Island," relating the personal pain of immigrants leaving their homeland, setting out to an unknown future. "Bright Blue Rose," sung almost as a meditation, is one of Black's most precious songs as she encourages everyone to seek their own path and diverge as much as possible until they find their way. "Only A Woman's Heart" (the title track from a compilation album, which has become the best selling album in Irish history) features a high-flying duet with the magnificent Emmylou Harris. The two voices mesh so beautifully and become one solid instrument, making the song a searing portrait of a woman's feelings and desires. Black excels at her musical portraits of women as they challenge themselves to move on or simply find the courage to stand completely still and comprehend their place in the world.
