"This is not a bad collection of Irish songs, but severely disappointing if you were expecting to hear a lot of bodhran (Irish drum). And wouldn't you expect to hear a lot of bodhran on an album named for this instument?It appears to be a collection of cuts on which Murphy contributed his talents to other musicians which were thrown together from a variety of sources. That wouldn't be so bad, except you can hardly make out any bodhran on most of them. Granted, it's a background instrument, but if the album is titled "An Bodhran" you'd expect to be able to hear the drum featured pretty promimently. But if you did expect that, you'd be disappointed, as I was.If you want another CD of pretty decent Irish folk music, this is not bad. But if you want to experience the bodhran, get anything by the Chieftans. Most of their albums have at least one or two cuts where the bodhran is pretty prominent, which is more than can be said for "An Bodhran.""
Not what it says on the cover!!!
Mary O Brien | New York | 03/13/2001
(1 out of 5 stars)
"This album does not let you into the secrets of the Bodhran. I woud recommend 'Pure Bodhran- The Definitive Collection'. It has 19 tracks incluing a Colm Murphy track of Polkas from his album 'An Bodhran'."
Not the bodhran of the Chieftans!!!
Stormseer | 11/25/1998
(2 out of 5 stars)
"With nothing to go on but the title, I expected the drum to be the main sound. This may be a good album of Irish music; I am not commenting on that one way or another. The liner notes say: "...[the accompanist] wishes to contribute significantly to the music without taking over from the melody player." The bodhran is so much in the background that it is indistinguishable from spoons in the majority of cuts. It is more evident in a couple of cuts where it is accompanying a flute. For me, the price is not worth just those cuts. I wanted the bodhran to take over from the melody!!! Its title says it's a drum album, after all!"
Where's the Bodhran?
Stormseer | Tempe, Arizona - USA | 10/10/1999
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The cover, title, and information on the album suggests a Bodhran player is "featured" on the CD. Unfortunately most of the instruments drown out Murphy's talents."
Let's be fair! Decent bodhran with good traditional music.
Mary O Brien | 02/03/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Failte!Greetings!De Dannan with Johnny McDonagh on Bodhran was one of my favorite, veteran groups. A good example of what I mean is to be found within a rare CD, "The De Danann Collection." I can relate to the common feeling of disappointment that Johnny left and Colm is now their Bodhran player. However, we shouldn't take it out on poor Colm. In one review, someone claims to not hear triplets. I hear triplets being played from a Kerry style (holding the tipper like a pencil). It also sounds like he is miked up at the open, backside of the drum. This is good for bass but at the expense of hearing the tipper. It also needs to be mentioned that the Irish taste in percussion is typically understated by U.S. standards. Many musicians prefer traditional Irish Music without percussion at all. Are you really interested in the best bodhran performances? Johnny McDonagh in the second Arcady album is awesome on Bodhran and dubbed over bones. Frank Torpey in the first Nomos Album is smokin' with a very active backslide technique and long chains of triplets. His style is to hold the drum at an angle to maximize the pressure on the backslide movement. Kevin Coneff of the Cheiftains has a couple of lovely peices on Gael Force (DVD). If you want to keep playing bodhran over the longterm, you would do well to study Kevin's relaxed style through fast paced reels. Donchadh Gough of Danu has many good peices through their three albums and has recently changed to an excellent, deep voiced Brendan White drum. Tommy Hayes has not been caught on audio CD in the same manner that he became famous as a Limerick area pub musician. "Moving Clouds" and other peices on his tutorial VHS tape usually stimulate jaws to drop in awe about his bodhran, bones and spoons playing. Ceol de Erin go Bragh! (Music of Ireland forever!)"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
