Mary Coughlan’s Tired and Emotionalis the debut album from the distinctive Irish jazz and blues vocalist, combining smoky torch songs, blues and cabaret influences with an intensely personal delivery. Originally released in 1985, the album established Coughlan as one of Ireland’s most compelling singers, drawing comparisons with Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. Her expressive, sometimes raw vocal style gives the material an intimate, late-night atmosphere. Highlights include “Delaney’s Gone Back on the Wine,” “The Beach” and “Ancient Rain.”
