Celtic Music Reviews: 2007/04

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"Never Drift Apart" by Maireid Sullivan

by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Maireid Sullivan
Album: "Never Drift Apart"
Year produced: 2003

Ohhh, it's soooo pretty! The dreamy echoes of Sullivan's music and her yearning to connect with her listeners are all simply marvelous right off the bat with the first track here--which is also the title track, "Never Drift Apart." This CD nearly fits into the Celtic "new-age" genre, but allows its boundaries to flow to and fro, depending on the mood of the tune so it isn't exactly a neat box within which to place the songs. Her sound doesn't categorize easily--you can't compare her to Enya or McKennitt, because she doesn't sound like either, but she is just as captivating. A truly unique vocal artist.

Interestingly, Sullivan also does a lovely job of covering a variety of tunes here--adding her own stamp to them. You'll find Clapton's "River of Tears" and others, but she knows how to make them her own. The music you will find here is comforting and soul-soothing; music to meditate to or unwind with after an especially harrowing day. You can feel that Sullivan is a deep and thoughtful soul--it comes through clearly in the vocals and choice of songs on the CD.

Irish-born and the daughter of a tenor, Sullivan has also lived in the United States and Australia, where she currently resides. The vocalist avows an avid interest in Celtic history and is also a poet and writer. You won't find anything jarring or too energizing here--this is a CD to renew and refresh yourself, not one to get your feet moving. You can tell that each track is carefully crafted, and some have such depth as to almost sound like a hymn. Really, this is an outstanding and moving CD--one with presence.

Buy the Album: "Never Drift Apart"

Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among others and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her photography website at http://www.moonbeamdigital.com/.

--posted by Catherine L. Tully, Thursday, April 26, 2007.
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"Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion" by Marc Gunn

by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats
Album: "Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion"
Year produced: 2007

Marc Gunn delivers--with a follow up! This "companion" CD is designed to accompany the original--Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers, so that you can fully appreciate the play on words "feline-style!" The fun part here is to listen to and consider the original lyrics, and then see what was done to include the kitties...

You'll hear "Lord of the Dance" (Lord of the Pounce), "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (When Kitty Eyes Are Smiling) and "Black Velvet Band" (Black Kitty Paw) among many others and the comparison is quite an enjoyable "exercise!" There is nothing quite like hearing the original version and then playing the parody--it just makes it far more amusing... and you just may hear a little "meow" here and there too!

Gunn is his usual, likeable, enjoyable self on this CD, with the simple arrangements and terrific, laid-back yet energetic style he has become known for. Autoharp and guitar back the vocals and the mood here is light and fun. A joint effort between producer Ari Koinuma and Gunn, this is a great CD to own for the grouping and selection of solid Irish favorites--even if you happen to be a dog lover!

Buy the Album: "Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion"

--posted by Catherine L. Tully, Tuesday, April 24, 2007.
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"Far From The Hills of Donegal" by Oisin McAuley

by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Oisin McAuley
Album: "Far From The Hills of Donegal"
Year produced: 2007

What do you get when you take a lead fiddler from a group like Danú and give him center stage and full reign? You get "Far From The Hills of Donegal," a 13-track CD packed full of top notch fiddle playing! In his solo debut, Oisín McAuley crisply outlines every sound that comes forth from his chosen instrument and it is truly a joy to listen to his considerable skill as he zips around the melodies. Far from limited to a virtuoso style, however, he is also able to call forth haunting, yearning sounds from his strings.

McAuley has been at the helm of the fiddle since he was nine years old, and if you need proof, just hit play... he dives right in with zeal from the first track. While the music on this CD fits squarely within the rather broad definition of traditional, it also "tip-toes" across the boundaries and steps out of itself here and there. It seems when musicians reach a certain level of mastery, they bring something extra to the sound that only they hear in the music--their art. You'll definitely hear that type of sound on the tracks here.

McAuley has played music, studied music and taught it--making for a wide variety of experience that has no doubt flavored his style. His roots trace back to West Ireland, and that plays a role here in the tracks as well. Those expecting a CD full of reels will be disappointed, but if you want to hear the fiddle stretch and reach and become something more than you typically hear--this is the CD for it.

Buy the Album: "Far From The Hills of Donegal"

--posted by Catherine L. Tully, Tuesday, April 24, 2007.
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"Safe Home" by Round The House

by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Round The House
Album: "Safe Home"
Year produced: 2007

Traditional Irish music here, yes, and a lot of it too! Round The House has been doing this for almost ten years, and this solidly done, long 15-track CD gives a lot of variety as well as great musicianship and energy. You'll hear vocal music, (although not all of it in English, which is a nice touch), instrumentals and even a contra dance set--for they are also a contra dance band!

This grouping of songs has a real mixture--you'll hear reels, a march and of course a jig--mixed with vocal tracks and some really well done instrumental work. The drum thump totally resonates and adds a "heartbeat" to the music often; it's lovely when this is highlighted like it is here in several songs. Always a shame to relegate it to the background as a mere force for keeping time--it's more than that.

The band does a stellar job at focusing on instruments and showing them off, sounds rising, then falling as another takes the center stage. It makes the mix of tracks quite eclectic in terms of feel. The band doesn't really pin itself down to one sound per se musically, preferring instead to let each track highlight various musicians or vocals. Lovely.

Particularly enjoyable were track 2, "Rory Og McRory," and the contra dance set which really lit things up, swirling and whirling its way through the set like their very lives depended on it.

Buy the Album: "Safe Home"

--posted by Catherine L. Tully, Thursday, April 12, 2007.
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"Got Blarnacles" by Blarnacles

by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: The Blarnacles
Album: "Got Blarnacles?"
Year produced: 2006

This acoustic Celtic folk band from the Cincinnati area delivers a nice song grouping here on "Got Blarnacles." The group's unusual name is actually a hybrid, mixing "blarney" and "barnacles" for a fun and catchy title. It reflects the group well--thoughtful, yet not too serious. They seem to like taking it light.

You'll most likely find this group a bit eclectic, with a strong underlying Bluegrass influence that manages to keep things interesting without hijacking the CD. Still a rather young group (around since November, 2004), don't mistake their lack of time playing together as a group for them being novice players--at least two of the members go back about 25 years as musicians, and between them all, there are more instruments than one wants to count that they can play.

The CD can really be described as "easy on the nerves," so those looking for something with a soothing, yet not boring sound will really take to the songs here. Although the Celtic sound is there, you don't get that overriding, thumping "gotta get up and dance" energy that one expects from a reel or other traditional favorites. This album is more of a "kick back and unwind after a day that beat the pulp out of you" kind of compilation. (Note--not slow--just easy!) Pleasant, amusing and nice and long--15 tracks to unwind to and enjoy into the evening....

A couple amusing songs are tossed in to bring a grin....such as track 3, "The Stuttering Lovers," and track 7, "Dear Boss," which both are sans instruments, but cute little tunes nonetheless. Enjoy this CD--that is what it was made for--you can just tell.

Buy the Album: "Got Blarnacles?"

--posted by Catherine L. Tully, Friday, April 06, 2007.
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