Swap a CD: 15 Recently Posted CDs

Speaking with the Angel - Mary Black

Mary Black — 2009-11-18T10:43:57-05:00

Ironically, traditional folk vocalist Mary Black's first American release (Shine) buried her traditional Irish roots in glossy pop production, obscuring the very quality that interested the labels in the first place. Speaking with the Angel corrects the errors of its predecessor by bringing Black back to her folky origins. The result is not only more marketable, it's also more genuine, more innovative and more listenable. Though production duties are split between Donal Lunny, a ubiquitous presence in Celtic circles, Steve Cooney and Black herself, the sound of the record is remarkably consistent and cohesive. The electronic keyboards that have played a leading role in many of Black's recent efforts are reduced here to tasteful cameos, replaced by the mellow warmth of acoustic guitar, bouzouki, accordion, piano, fiddle, harp and flute. Some of Black's other regrettable tendencies -- oversinging, sentimentality -are present, though in palatable doses. And there are two excruciatingly perky pop songs ("Message of Love," "Big Trip to Portland") that shouldn't have made the final cut. But for the most part, Black is very successful at finding the heart of the songs she's chosen and expressing them with honesty and reserve. Which is especially gratifying since she's chosen some excellent songs. Among the artists covered in this collection are Dougie McLean, John Gorka, Ron Sexsmith, and Neil Finn. She does justice to all of them and even improves on Sting's "Fields of Gold" with a soft, lilting version that features a graceful harmonica solo by Brendan Power. ~ Evan Cater, All Music Guide

Riverdance - Bill Whelan

Bill Whelan — 2009-11-18T10:06:07-05:00

Even though the visual elements are missing, this soundtrack to Riverdance sounds quite spectacular, making a no-holds-barred attempt to captivate the listener with grandiose variations on celtic musical forms. Adding to the grandeur and magic of the music are performances by artists such as Davy Spillane, Maire Breatnach, AnÚna, Nicola Parov, and others who are forces to reckon with individually. The music transits between soaring vocal pieces and floor-shaking orchestral numbers that possess astonishing energy. Lead ceilidh dancer Michael Flatley left the production under something of a cloud, turning up later with the derivative and far more mediocre Lord of the Dance. On this recording he, female lead Jean Butler, and the other ceilidh dancers can be heard providing taps on three tracks, including the thunderous "The Countess Cathleen/Women of the Sidhe." ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide

Irish Energy - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-18T00:31:57-05:00

Irish Dance - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-18T00:31:05-05:00

Magic of Celtic Harp Premium - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-18T00:31:04-05:00

Celtic Pride Vol 2 - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-18T00:31:04-05:00

Celtic Pride II is a budget-priced collection featuring music by The Dubliners, Glenside Ceilidh, the Grehan Sisters, and Mick Moloney, among others. It isn't the greatest Celtic compilation of all time, but the performances are decent, and it's good value for the money. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Celtic Trance - Dagda

Dagda — 2009-11-18T00:31:04-05:00

Celtic Trance presents a warm, fuzzy mixture of Celtic musical streams with trance and ambient, meaning a lot of swirling synth pads, soft drums, Irish whistles, and sampled instruments with some vocals thrown in for good measure. This particular production is likely to remind some listeners of Enigma, while others may think of Jean-Michel Jarre, though it does carve out its own identity along the way, heavy breathing effects and all. It's also highly functional as a tool for relaxation -- not an album recommended for playing on long road journeys, certainly. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide

Susana Seivane - Susana Seivane

Susana Seivane — 2009-11-17T15:56:17-05:00

This is the debut of young, born in 1976, Galician piper Seivane. She gives a fresh face to this ancient tradition of northwestern Spain. Having honed her skills since the age of three, her playing is confident with a fine rhythmic sweep. The simple arrangements, though a bit dry at times, keep the spotlight on her performance. Since the nasal moan of Galician pipes is an acquired taste for many, this can be seen as a plus or a minus. Percussionist Beto Niebla and bouzouki player/guitarist/arranger Rodrigo Romani of Milladoiro drive things along nicely with their subtle yet inventive rhythms. Other members of veteran Galician band Milladoiro (XosÉ FerreirrÓs on oboe, Nando Casal on clarinet, and Laura Quintillan on violin) also guest. There's a good variety of tune types, from traditional jotas (dance tunes) to newly composed waltzes and rumbas. Tunes such as "Xota Dos 28 Puntos" and "Tres MuiÑeiras" have the rollicking drive of a village revel, while "Maneo" and the introduction to "Pasacorredoiras de Ponteareas" are quietly reverential and medieval in spirit. A particular highlight is "Fonsagrada," a set of MuiÑeiras. It's a spry, drony piece with lots of percussion. Seivane shows a lot of promise. It will be interesting to watch her develop as an artist. ~ Peggy Latkovich, All Music Guide

The Bells of Dublin - The Chieftains

The Chieftains — 2009-11-16T20:34:29-05:00

Joined by Nancy Griffith, the Irish group presents a superb concert, blending folk and country music. Well recorded and well photographed. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Ashley MacIsaac - Ashley MacIsaac

Ashley MacIsaac — 2009-11-16T17:47:20-05:00

Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac is as schizophrenic as ever on his self-titled first release for Decca. With his uniquely punk rock approach to celtic reels and jigs, MacIsaac has plenty of room to toy with drum loops, reversed passages, and bizarro studio effects, and there are certainly moments where that experimentation pays off. The layered and loping "To America We Will Go" and the brittle "This Is My Father" both benefit from this multi-tiered approach, but it can also seem cluttered and unnecessary ("Grapes" may be the worst of these offenders). MacIsaac's strength has always been in his forceful fiddle playing, and this translates best in his updates of the traditional "Chorus Jig" and "Bog an Login," but the songs he has decided to test his own singing voice on fare less well. While his voice is forceful and in key, it is not necessarily interesting, and although this bluesy bar-belting could do justice to a pub-swaying drinking song or an impassioned battle ballad, on the majority of these tunes it just falls a little flat. Overall, as MacIsaac continues to push the boundaries of celtic fusion he continues to hit and miss, and on this album the interesting textures and adept playing don't always make up for what the songwriting and singing lack. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide

Greatest Hits - Clannad

Clannad — 2009-11-15T19:18:15-05:00

It seems odd that RCA would release two different single-disc best-of compilations covering Clannad's 1982-1989 recordings, and odder still that there would be so little overlap between Rogha: The Best of Clannad and Greatest Hits (only about seven tracks out of 18-19). Perhaps it's that the newer Greatest Hits volume concentrates on their more popular successes, while the former collection attempted to present an idea of Clannad's diversity. In any case, there's more than enough quality material here to make Greatest Hits appealing even for those who already own Rogha, although that collection's greater variety still gives it a very slight edge as the better introduction. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

There Was a Lady The Voice of Celtic Women 1997 - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-15T15:05:55-05:00

A splendid compilation drawn from the Green Linnet catalog, focusing on solo artists and bands with female vocalists. The track listing is fairly eclectic, but entertaining throughout -- uniformly good enough that nothing stands out from the entire collection. A good place to start looking for an example of the female voice in Celtic music. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide

Cool Celtic CD 1 - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-15T15:05:54-05:00

Irish Celebration Tradition - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-15T15:05:54-05:00

Celtic Christmas Windham Hill - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-15T15:05:54-05:00

As one might expect, any Windham Hill collection of christmas music expresses the peaceful, mellower side of the season. These are the same kind of instrumentals that play overhead creating pleasant background music as shoppers bustle to finish holiday gift buying. And while anything labeled "background music" may be seen as musical Milquetoast, it is nearly impossible to sip eggnog and talk to Uncle Dave and Aunt Suzie over a backdrop of Alvin & the Chipmunks. Selections by Luka Bloom, Solus, Loreena McKennitt, and others blend a number of celtic new age styles into a seamless mix that flows easily from Phil Cunningham and Manus Lunny's "When the Snow Melts" to Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning's "We Follow a Star." Instrumentally and vocally, Celtic Christmas delivers a sound as hushed as the winter landscape on its cover, relying on stripped-down arrangements of harps, whistles, fiddles, and keyboards in a variety of combinations. Cormac Breatnach's instrumental "Nollaig Na Mban" (it translates into "Women's Christmas, 6th January") is adorned with a whistle, acoustic guitar, cello, keyboards, and tenor sax. And while that may sound like a large ensemble, the careful interplay between musicians still allow for quiet, open spaces. For those who value Yuletide conversations with kinfolk or perhaps just wish for soothing music in the busiest of seasons, Celtic Christmas is a snow covered island of tranquility. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide