Prophecy is the second studio album by Susan McKeown & The Chanting House, following their debut, Bones, in 1996.Susan McKeown & The Chanting House – Prophecy, Discogs, accessed November 23, 2025 Produced by McKeown and guitarist Jon Sparney, the album was released through indie label Sheila-na-Gig Music on March 4, 2002.McQuaid, Sarah. Prophecy, Hot Press, April 11, 2002, accessed November 23, 2025
Prophecy was met with critical acclaim from various media outlets, including The Irish Times, Hot Press, CLUAS, Folk World, and Pure Music. The song "River" was later covered by Irish band Gráda on their 2007 album Cloudy Day Navigation.
Background While promoting Prophecy, McKeown stated that the album's titular track was written in response to the grief of 9/11,
The track "Because I Could Not Stop for Death", inspired by the Emily Dickinson poem of the same name, was recorded as a duet with the American singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant.Susan McKeown & The Chanting House – Prophecy, AllMusic, accessed November 24, 2025 The song was included in The Guardian'''s "Top 20 Songs of Fate & Destiny".MacInnes, Paul. "Readers Recommend: Songs about Fate and Destiny", The Guardian, September 16, 2010, accessed November 24, 2025 McKeown later performed the song with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.Celtic Arts Foundation. "Susan McKeown Concert". CelticArts.org. Accessed November 24, 2025
Critical reception
Much like its predecessor, Bones, Prophecy was met with critical praise from various media outlets. Siobhan Long, in a review for The Irish Times, praised the album, stating "Challenging and cerebral, Prophecy's 10 gemstones will tap at your subconscious long after first hearing... Renaissance musicianship. Damn fine.""Prophecy by Susan McKeown & The Chanting House" Amazon, accessed November 24, 2025
Sarah McQuaid, in a review for Hot Press, offered similar praise, writing Folk World was equally enthusiastic, noting "A prolific composer and recording artist in her own right, Susan McKeown's latest offering with her band The Chanting House is a feast of strong, mature, often invigorating songs. Better known to some as a traditional singer, this album is more closely related to her debut, Bones, which was only on release in the US. More rock than folk, the blend also has occasional flecks of jazz, while McKeown's personal literary influences are very much in evidence with several of the tracks being based on extracts from literature or folklore."Piekarski, Tom. "Susan McKeown – Prophecy", Folkworld, accessed November 24, 2025
Irish publication CLUAS observed, following the critically acclaimed Lowlands, Susan McKeown is back with a new release "Prophecy"... The sound is much more diversified than before and the lyrics are inherently dark and often wistful. Alternating between foot-tapping melody and gothic ballads, McKeown deals with heritage, religious faith and personal loss. Yet in a contradictive way, the album exposes feeling of a positive nature propelled by her delicate yet strong vocals. McKeown's inventive techniques have presented an album that is as compelling as it is diverse... She has successfully crossed genres here and the album is performed with an artistic excellence and with honest conviction, and it is sure to broaden her horizons. In that sense, "Prophecy" is indeed a prophetic album."Murphy, Jimmy. "Susan McKeown & the Chanting House: Prophecy", CLUAS, March 4, 2002, accessed November 24, 2025Pure Music wrote "Not the old country, as it used to be called. Susan McKeown's vision and inspired take on Irish music has been uniquely global, as was borne out in our interview with her in the August issue of last year. But although there is one song inspired by Irish folklore, this is not an Irish music album. This is Susan McKeown and The Chanting House, which we've been waiting on a second record from since their brilliant debut, Bones''. (1996, PrimeCD.) I am truly grateful for greatness, when I come upon it. Susan McKeown's music never fails in this regard."Goodman, Frank. "PROPHECY: Review", PureMusic, accessed November 24, 2025
Track listing
Personnel Primary Artist Susan McKeown – lead vocals, producer, composer, arranger, guitar, bodhrán
Musicians Chris Cunningham – bouzouki, guitar, harmonium Eoin Woods – guitar, background vocals Jerry O'Sullivan – uilleann pipes Jimi Zhivago – bass pedals, dobro, 12-string guitar, mellotron, Hammond organ Joe Trump – drums, cymbals, percussion Johnny Cunningham – fiddle Lindsey Horner – bass, bass clarinet, tin whistle Michelle Kinney – cello, background vocals Shawn Pelton – cymbals Tom Zajac – bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, sackbut
References