Kings of Celtic Crossover
Peter Grant | Hobart, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA | 04/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Irish legends Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny are undoubtedly the headliners of this latest effort from trans-Atlantic quintet Mozaik. But add classy multi-instrumentalists Nikola Parov (sheer Balkan brilliance), Bruce Molsky (folksy, old-timey Americana) and Rens Van Der Zalm (Dutch Celtic whizz), plus guest Irish piper Liam O'Flynn, and you'd expect something special. With "Changing Trains" you're unlikely to be disappointed.
Andy Irvine's opening song, "O'Donoghue's", is a wonderfully jaunty potted history of his musical life. With Liam O'Flynn's whistle and Donal Lunny's bodhran and bouzouki, it sounds like the brilliance of Planxty renewed. Bruce Molsky's following medley of old-time Tennessee tunes - "Sail Away Ladies / Walking In the Parlor" - might have you wondering whether the trend of the album will be successive nods to the musical heritage of each band member: a weld job of disparate influences. But the Molsky-led "Reuben's Train" achieves a far greater level of musical melding. Starting in the deep south (think Soggy Bottom Boys), it choofs seamlessly into both Balkan and Irish countryside.
But Andy Irvine proves to be the king of Celtic cross-over on his hauntingly beautiful "The Wind Blows Over the Danube". An autumnal, wistful look at times past, it superbly weaves Irish and Balkan sounds. Parov's gadulka and kaval add an almost mystical longing to Irvine's plaintive vocals. The complement is returned on "The Humours of Parov", with Irvine adding an Irish 9/8 slip-jig to a Bulgarian 9/8 dance to great effect. Donal Lunny then makes a rare foray to the vocal mike, sounding as though he's learned something from Frank Harte in an almost sean-nos rendition of the trad. Irish song "Mary Mhaggie / Siún Ní Dhuidhir". Another trad. song, "The Ballad of Rennardine", proves how embedded Balkan rhythms are in Andy Irvine's music. He uses the rhythm of a paidushko horo (Bulgarian 5/8 dance) rather than the usual 4/4 time. The result is sublime, lifting an already great song to another level altogether. Music such as Mozaik's make you glad that Andy Irvine allowed the east wind to blow on him all those years ago.
"
Another outstanding album from Ireland's Andy Irvine
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 01/25/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The year is still, obviously, quite young, but I'm pretty sure that when the dust settles, this dazzling, pan-Euro-Celtic tour-de-force will still be on the top of my list for 2008. This is a stunning showcase for the combined talents of Irish folk legends Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny, along with American old-timey icon Bruce Molsky, Hungarian flautist/multi-instrumentalist Nikola Parov and Dutch guitarist Rens van der Zalm. The Mozaik band has been a showcase for experimentation, but here Irvine & Co stay pretty close to the roots of Cetic traditional music. All five musicians are working in perfect synch here. clearly enjoying each other's wealth of knowledge and the ability to slide their different styles together. This disc's a gem, especially for fans of pure, old-fashioned trad: this album may be pushing the music in new directions, but it still has a classic sound. Highly recommended! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue)"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1