Irish singer Karan Casey back for festival encore

Karan Casey continues to redefine herself.

The Irish singer with the gorgeous voice, who will perform at an 8 p.m. concert Tuesday, March 9, at Unity College’s Student Center, honed her skills in pub bands, interpreting pop, jazz and Irish standards. She went on to become the lead vocalist for the Irish supergroup Solas, then struck out on her own five years ago.

It’s a transition that she admits hasn’t been easy.

“I didn’t think it was hard at the beginning,” Casey said during a recent phone interview. “I recognize now how difficult it was. You have to be on form every day, because you don’t have a band to fall back on. I have learned a lot and have moved on creatively. I’m now trying to have a certain amount of time

to write my own songs.”

Now, on her third solo album, “Distant Shore,” Casey is branching out from the traditional music she is most closely linked with to record new songs by English rocker Billy Bragg (the title cut) and bluegrass artist Tim O’Brien (“Another Day”). Still she doesn’t see these selections as that big a leap.

“The songs I picked still hint of traditional music,” she insisted. “They’re very rooted in roots music, and have quite a traditional voice. So I didn’t find it that different.”

How does Casey know when a song will work for her?

“If it hits me when I hear it, if I can identify with it,” she explained. “Whether the melody and the story are strong enough to draw you to it. I’m drawn to left-wing songs and quirky love songs. I’ll sing it a cappella at a rehearsal, to see how it holds up.”

Casey grew up listening to singers such as Woody Guthrie, Ewan MacColl and Bob Dylan, who all infused their music with social commentary. She’s political, too, and has had some rough times because of her anti-war sentiments.

“It was difficult to speak out against [the war in] Afghanistan two years ago,” Casey recalled. “But I gained a bit more confidence from it. The left is more organized now. People are looking, grasping for an alternative.

“It’s important to keep speaking out against the war,” she added. “The war machine present today in the West needs to be tackled at every level. Songs have given me hope in the past. We can use songs to make the world a better place. They can be a catalyst to give [those opposed to war] support and remind them that they’re not the only one that feels that way.”

Casey was most recently in central Maine for last summer’s National Folk Festival in Bangor. It was an experience she much enjoyed.

“We had a great few gigs and a great response,” she said. “The National Folk Festival is such a fantastic idea, bringing all those different people together. I really admire them for what they do.”

Casey has quite a full plate. She’s lining up songs for her next album, and is also mulling a live album or DVD. Then there’s taking care of Muireann, her 4-year-old daughter with musical and life partner Niall Vallely, who travels with her parents when they are on tour.

“I’m pretty busy between the whole lot,” she said.

For more information on the Karan Casey concert, call 948-3131, Ext. 285. Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 or dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.