LUCKY Released 1998
Recorded in Texas with Champ Hood and Lisa Mednick ...mood is laid back and blues in the night ... included is a cool cover of Johnny Cash's 'I Still Miss Someone'
Village Records, Kansas


Of all English speaking peoples, even if the language wasn't of their choosing, the Irish have best perfected the art of melancholy and Clarke's work can, I think, be seen as a postmodern expression of the mournful dirges with which generations of exiles lamented their lost patrimony. His songs are far more complex and intelligent than the 'take me back to the lakes of Killarney and that redheaded colleen I loved' tradition, but there's an essential continuity. ... a lineup that keeps the title from being merely ironic and provides gorgeous atmospheric to Clarke's restrained intensity, (Jesse) Taylor yet again demonstrating his telepathic rapport with singer-songwriters. ... Johnny Cash's 'I Still Miss Someone' and 'Bye Bye Blackbird' ... can be taken as general indicators of the general mood, which hits that Irish spot of being sad but not depressing. ... Clarke is regarded as an honorary West Texan .. 3rd Coast Music, Texas

The Clarke originals prove that he remains one of our finest and most diversely influenced composers. His Irish (influenced) canon advances still further with 'Did He Sing Danny Boy' and the stunning, pseudo-traditional 'By The Light Of The Plough'. 'Gardenia Blues' is a slow soulful number underscored by languid guitar lines, while (Lisa) Mednick's support vocal is well to the fore on 'Crow Blues'. Should you wish to envelop yourself in a dreamy laid back jazzy ether, then for over five minutes. 'Mr Lucky' will fulfill your wildest fantasies. Pickin' clover or pickin' strings, life can most surely be 'Lucky'
Kerrville Kronikle

... features a sort of Willie Nelson/'Stardust' arrangement of the Johnny Cash classic 'I Still Miss Someone'
Country Music International

... very Hoagy Carmichael/Walter Hyatt!
Flying Shoes