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IRISH COFFEE

Irish Coffee

Heavy Prog


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Irish Coffee Irish Coffee album cover
3.52 | 51 ratings | 7 reviews | 14% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Can't Take It (4:05)
2. The Beginning Of The End (6:18)
3. When Winter Comes (4:50)
4. The Show (Part I) (2:31)
5. The Show (Part II) (2:59)
6. Hear Me (3:58)
7. A Day Like Today (6:51)
8. I'm Lost (4:32)

total time: 37:31

CD reissue:
1. Masterpiece (3:04)
2. Can't Take It (4:06)
3. The Beginning Of The End (6:19)
4. When Winter Comes (4:51)
5. The Show (Part I) (2:53)
6. The Show (Part II) (2:59)
7. Hear Me (4:00)
8. A Day Like Today (6:52)
9. I'm Lost (4:30)
10. Carry On (3:11)
11. Child (3:43)
12. Down Down Down (2:38)
13. I'm Alive (4:11)
14. Witchy Lady (2:55)
15. I'm Hers (4:40)

Line-up / Musicians

- William Souffreau / vocals, guitar
- Jean Van Der Schueren / lead guitar
- Willy De Bisschop / bass
- Paul Lambert / Hammond organ
- Hugo Verhoye / drums
- Luc De Clus / lead guitar on "Witchy Lady" & "I'm hers"
- Raf Lenssens / drums on "Witchy Lady", "I'm hers", "Down down down" & "I'm Alive"
- Dirk Dierickx / backing vocals on "Masterpiece" & "The Show"

Releases information

LP: Triangle (1971)
CD: Voodoo (1992) (CD reissue with bonus tracks)

Tracks 10 & 11 taken from single 'Carry On / Child' released in 1971.
Tracks 12 & 13 taken from single 'Down Down Down / I'm Alive' released in 1972.
Tracks 14 & 15 taken from single 'Witchy Lady / I'm Hers' released in 1973.

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Aussie-Byrd-Brother for the last updates
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IRISH COFFEE Irish Coffee ratings distribution


3.52
(51 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(14%)
14%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(63%)
63%
Good, but non-essential (18%)
18%
Collectors/fans only (6%)
6%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

IRISH COFFEE Irish Coffee reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk
4 stars I'm not sure this belongs here but this is one of the better hard-rock coming out of Belgium, but also of continental Europe. This resembles all sorts of band especially in the Energy Dept: Purple , Rooster , Heep , Birth Control etc.... One must hear how The Party rocks to believe . The sad story of how such a precious album got wasted in the dustbin of time.
Review by debrewguy
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
2 stars Frankly, this is really nothing special. Your typical very early 70s organ driven hard rock. In some places, it reminds me of the Rod Evans Deep Purple, except you don't have virtuosos like Blackmore & Lord bringing the band to the top level. If you're looking for something like that era of Purple, you are better off getting Captain Beyond's first album. Now, it's not to state that this is horrible album. But it is typical of groups that barely made a living as opening act on those hard rock tours. Competent playing, some derivativeness, some showcasing your band's musical star (guitar/singer/keyboardist) , but nothing that you won't forget right after you've listened to the next thing. So unless that era's hard music is a compulsion, best save your money on this one.
Review by ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars I mentioned already in my review of the first "Machiavel" album, that Belgium was a desert in terms of rock bands. "Irish Coffee" might well be an oasis in the midst of this. Like other few legendary ones : Kleptomania, The Pebbles, Lager Blues Machine, Jenghiz Khan, Wallace Collection...almost only known in Belgium only (except Wallace of course who had a HUGE hit in 1969 (it was number in TWENTY countries and will pave the way for ELO).

Irish Coffee disbanded after the death of their very good keyboard player, Paul Lambert.

This album features, indeed great organ throughout all the numbers (but the intro for "Can't Take" is one of the finest moments available).Really close to Jon Lord's ones. The link with Purple is also valid with the vocals. Similarities with Hughes during "Cant Take" and "The Beginning Of The End". It features a Boléro-like intro (one of my fave number on this album), really close to prog.

It is true that "Irish Coffee" sounds almost like a hard-rock band but not only. The closing number, for instance, is more "Mark I" oriented. Somewhat psychedelic.

This is a good album. A rarity to discover if hard-rock is your taste (or heavy-prog as it is now accordingly categorized on PA). Three stars.

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Hailing from Belgium, early Seventies band Irish Coffee only delivered a couple of singles and a sole album in their few years active, but the debut from 1971 is a bit of a dirty raucous ripper of organ dominated heavy rock with light touches of jazz, R n'B and psych but still finds time for more mindful breaks. Think bands like Atomic Rooster, Deep Purple, Rare Bird, Birth Control and Beggars Opera, with gruff Hammond organ to the fore and fleeting moments of drawn out jamming, but mostly delivering a strong punchy collection where the tune itself is always the priority.

Opener `Can't Take It' is up-tempo and infectious, a snappy rocker and blustery vocal belter powered by Jean Van Der Schueren's biting guitar slinging, Willy De Bisschop's pumping chunky bass and Hugo Verhoye's frantic drumming. `The Beginning Of The End' lurches with a dramatic heaviness of marching call-to-arms drum rattles, Paul Lambert's thoughtful organ interludes and dreamy chiming guitars with William Souffreau's blistering red-faced huffing almost taken to testicle- bursting extremes in parts! `When Winter Comes' slows things down for a Rare Bird-like stark and introspective weary rock- ballad (although there's an unexpected but very welcome energetic burst in the closing minute), where the vocals move between sombre spoken word passages, warm group harmonies and a romantic lead vocal full of aching longing crooning a despondent yet tender lyric - and damned if the line `Will you came and be my sun?' wouldn't win over any lady!

Prog fans shouldn't get too excited when they see the two-part `The Show' listed on the back cover that is split over the end of side one and carries on over on the flip. While they both share a similar `come see the show' theme and wild party vibe, the first is a unapologetic pop-stomper with funky grooving wah-wah guitars and brief wailing soloing spots, a screeching vocal and call-and-response Hammond trickles all swirling around a catchy chorus, while the second is dirtier with a murky sweaty sound full of lusty debauchery!

`Hear Me' has a crashing and restless momentum from delirious smoky Hammond organ runs and mangled guitar raggedness, and the tormented `the Devil's in my head, Lord I need you...can't help myself, it's this world that makes me do it!' lyric wouldn't have sounded out of place on an Atomic Rooster album! The almost seven minute `A Day Like Today' is one of the more ambitious pieces, full of ruminative droning Pink Floyd-like guitar drifts, and with its downcast and anxious anti- war lyric and desperate urgent vocal pleadings, its sentiment is undoubtedly genuine. Closer `I'm Lost' is another nice diversion, a gentle come-down pop-rocker with jangling acoustic guitars, a rattle of spirited drums and joyful Hammond organ, and both vocally and instrumentally it reminds of British band Beggars Opera from the same time.

While it's maybe not quite up to the same level as the best albums of several of the above-mentioned bands, listeners who dig those early `proto-prog' groups that made adventurous rock music full of cool playing and great tunes should have a blast with `Irish Coffee'. It's a grower of an album, one that proves highly addictive and seriously fun if you give it enough spins!

Four stars.

Latest members reviews

3 stars For my money this is a very good piece of early heavy prog. It's in line with the style of Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, and many of those, with a distinct early-UFO twinge to it in many of the tracks. A track such as Can't Take It is very heavy, and a number that any hard rock fan wouldn't hes ... (read more)

Report this review (#722924) | Posted by Dr. Judkins | Wednesday, April 11, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Recently on a buying trip to Brooklyn I scored a bunch of great records, both originals and reissues. The reissue of this album on Akarma knocked me cold, and continues to every time I play it. Belgium had an underrated and fantastic music scene in the early 70s, but Irish Coffee are the most ... (read more)

Report this review (#87160) | Posted by | Sunday, August 13, 2006 | Review Permanlink

3 stars One of the real classics from the European progressive hard-rock.A little bit overrated but always nice to hear.Good use of organ and a fantastic Hendrix inspired lead-guitarist Jean-Pierre Souffriaux. ... (read more)

Report this review (#21249) | Posted by | Saturday, January 31, 2004 | Review Permanlink

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