Music

Watch Out For Enda Seery’s Halloween Surprise (October 27th until Sunday, November 4th)

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Halloween Music Sale! Halloween Music Sale! Halloween Music Sale!

Here at The Celtic Music Fan, I am always constantly checking for the best deals in Celtic music before the word comes out. I am a snoop. I am curious. It’s a habit I could not break.  So here’s an interesting deal to give someone a Halloween present or a surprise for Christmas.

Enda Seery Halloween Surprise!!!

From Sunday, October 27th until Sunday, November 4th, both of Enda Seery’s album releases:’Síocháin na Tuaithe:Peace of the Countryside’ (2013) and ‘The Winding Clock’ (2010) will be for sale from Enda’s website for the SCARILY and DEVILISHLY low price of €8 including postage and packaging. Don’t miss out on this MONSTROUS offer! http://www.endaseery.com/buy-albums.html

These albums received good reviews not only from your’s truly but from major Celtic music magazines and websites. Síocháin na Tuaithe:Peace of the Countryside’ (2013) can be a perfect companion as you warm through the seasons by the fireside. Same with The Winding Clock! So mark the date again: October 27th until Sunday, November 4th.

So what’s your plan this Halloween? Are you going to wear a garbage bag and a paper bag over your head like I do? It’s not what you think though. I will make sure I don’t come out looking like a fool. But I will hide behind the bushes and say ‘boo!’ to those passing by. I am sure it will scare the wits out of them. Because I will look really icky scary.

Shaking the Autumn Gloom with Anticlockwise by McDermott’s 2 Hours

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McDermott’s 2 Hours – Anticlockwise

Nick Burbridge – lead vocal
Molly Burbridge – backing vocal
Ben Paley – fiddle
Tim Cotterell – mandolin
Dil Davies (Oysterband) – drums
Jeremy Cunningham (Levellers) – bass
Clare Sanders – whistle
Al Scott – guitars

McDermott’s 2 Hours has given us an antidepressant  with Anticlockwise which is their ‘Best of’ compilation album. It signals the band’s creative growth up to the new track Erin Farewell. The cover art with the devil and a bunch of naked people should give you a hint what’s to come. Songwriter and guitarist Nick Burbridge (who also formed this band) has a kind of creativity that I would describe as erratic and explosive. He is the type of artist who is fearless in executing his ideas whither you like them or not. And that spontaneity coupled with raw energy can be found all over Anticlockwise. Newcomers to their music will find great stuff to be remembered here, now that the best songs in their entire catalog are here-and new ones too.

Nick Burbridge

Instrumentally, Anticlockwise is as lush as a good harvest. Vocally it’s blessed with his good vocal range ( and smooth tenor) that can be fiery one moment and then restrained the next. World Turned Upside Down is a personal favorite with its Gregorian inspired intro. The contrapuntal singing style gives us that renaissance feel.

So what can I say about this new release of Nick Burbridge’s band? I’m a fan of Nick and it is hard to be objective when you are a fan. And it is a good thing because music is a personal experience and I think whatever touches can never be questioned. The over all vibe of Anticlockwise is live. The order of the tracks are well-chosen to suit the progression of the mood. The mix is also warm. It’s like after every song, you can hear the audience applauding. Tod the Ranter is another favorite because of the steady hypnotic rhythm. A Fable from Aigge falls into the sean nos style of singing. It shows how flexible the voice of Burbridge is. It also displays the  eclecticism of this album.

Molloy goes back to the times when Ireland was struggling for independence. This reminds me of a lot of songs by Planxty in their earlier albums.  River is a foot tapper. I love the beat and the way these fiddles create a sort of wispy cloak of sound that transports you into a beautiful and dreamy place. it is true that the word save the best for last applies to great albums. All In Your Name closes Anticlockwise with such intensity that I felt my neurons were being assaulted by blue lightning.

Anticlockwise is a sensual trickster of an album. A playful devil with an immaculate smile. Beautifully conceived, exquisitely performed by the musicians involved and yes….embellished by artistry of Nick Burbridge.

Know more here: http://www.burbridgearts.org/

Rant Maggie Rant CD is the BEST live Recording in Years!

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Lindsay Schindler – Fiddle, backing vocals.Glen Dias – Voice, recorders.Rob Larose – Drum Kit, Hand percussion, backing vocals.Barry James Payne- Guitar, backing vocals
(www.stringbone.ca)

Hometown: Stratford, Ontario

http://www.rantmaggierant.com

I have listened to many live recordings including mainstream albums but once in a while something pops up and takes the cake. I am talking about the new album by Rant Maggie Rant recorded live. They say good things come in minimalist packages. Don’t let the serene green CD package fool you. The album is packed with the most endearing Celtic tracks.

Big kudos to the sound engineer who recorded this performance because it captures the energy and the nuance of the band. They play so tightly and perfectly that you would wonder if this is really a live recording. Only when you hear the enthusiastic cheering of the audience then you know it’s really live. The strong points of Rant Maggie Rant are their rhythms, vocal presentation and arrangements. I think I play this CD at least three times a day starting in the morning when I wake up because it is really a perfect album to greet the day. There’s this huge positive vibe that wraps itself around you.

I love the Irish Gaelic track  Cunla because I’ve heard this performed by other bands before but RMR has given it a different twist! All the tracks are feet jerkers because of their energetic style. Gooseberry Bush did it for me. The fiddling is as delicious as ripe apples. I also love their slower moments like Bachelor’s Hall. Glen Dias has that Celticky vocals ( that’s how I call singers with that distinctive type of singing voice filed under Iarla Ó Lionáird, Loreena McKennitt, Connie Dover, Moya Brennan, Luka Bloom and other singers). Lindsay Schindler always shines in reels and jigs like the breath-taking Kitchen Set. As for the guitar of Barry James Payne, all I can say is : his guitar playing is always luminous, wispy and stunning.

The special guests can also hold their own like Loretto Reid’s fantastic tin whistle, Steve Clarke’s grooves and the foot stumping percussion of Graham Hargrove. I warn you. This album is addictive. Potent and magical stuff there. A great way to celebrate Halloween to liven up misty hearts and sleepy heads.

Listen to my Celtic Music Hour this Saturday, 4 to 5 pm German time because I will be playing a few tracks from the album. That’s on www.radiohappy.eu and the recorded stream will become my podcast a day or two later for you to listen again.

Rant Maggie Rant Live CD

Front and back of the CD

Rant Maggie Rant live CD

CD spread

New Album by The Folkalists Now Available Free for Two Weeks!

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The Folkalists

Laughter is the best medicine. If you can find someone making funny tunes while maintaining musical excellence (and serious face) then he/she is on my top list. This is the case of Northern Irish band The Folkalists. From the first to last track all I get to hear are great vibes, amazing melodies and yes awesome humor. The world is harsh enough to dwell on too much angst(I had many for the past few days) and it isn’t healthy in the long run. Pickin Up The Change is the remedy.

Dee McIlroy, Eugene Glenn and Barry Skeff aren’t scared to poke fun at situations. They don’t take themselves too seriously which is a great thing. That is why these songs just come through right away. The degree of heartfelt humour and talent are  perfect addition to my collection of Irish albums! They made it to my top categories.

Dee has an amazing voice. It’s warm, mellow but with a great range. It is also an expressive instrument. The melodies are gorgeous. Their music falls on the folk/country side with echoes of traditional Irish flavour. Walking in the Sunshine is my personal ‘hit’ song because it is catchy, upbeat and artfully crafted. Just Can’t Find the Words is another favorite of mine. It’s a love song that reminds me a little bit of Crosby Stills  Nash & Young with a tinge of America. I swear I find no weak tracks in this album. This is really well conceived and flawlessly executed. They really make the songs shine with their vocal harmonization.

The instruments used in this recording are fantastic. The mixing sounds great. I look forward to more releases from The Folkalists because they are really nice to be around. We all need this music!

Like them in facebook: https://www.facebook.com/folkalists?fref=ts

http://www.folkalists.webspace.virginmedia.com/

The Spirit of Ireland – An Odyssey Home – Audio Book Launch and live performance with Alan Cooke

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Spirit of Ireland audio.book.master copy reached America today now being copied and put into nine disk package with booklet…..launch date soon..-Alan Cooke a.k.a. The Wild Irish Poet.

Yes watch this link because the countdown begins up to October 24 which is the launch date of Spirit of Ireland- the audio book version. Audio books are the rage. I think with the growing desire to multi task(since technology has given us that opportunity) more and more people are turning to audio books. It gives them the opportunity to listen while not being confined to one place.

Alan Cooke

I think paper books are still amazing. I read the written version of this book and I love it. There’s so much passion that Alan Cooke has placed in this work and I think it is time for the world to have a taste of it. His language is poetic, musical and magical. It is always a joy to read what he writes about. I can’t remember anything written by him that I didn’t enjoy! This man is a walking modern-day bard with the gift of the Sidhe.

The Spirit of Ireland is a sequel to his Naked in New York memoir. I started reading the book at night and finished it the next day because like anyone who is trapped inside a vision of the writer, we get used to this place we inhabit that the thought of leaving by finishing the book is a sad thing.

About this event:

A live launch of Spirit of Ireland – An Odyssey Home. Emmy winning writer and actor – Alan Cooke’s beautiful audio book memoir about his journey back to Ireland and his odyssey around his native land. Alan will be reading live excerpts from the west of Ireland and discussing his life and his work and the audio book will be available to purchase from www.wildirishpoet.com

Other videos from The Wild Irish Poet.

Links: https://www.facebook.com/WildIrishPoetArts?fref=ts

http://wildirishpoet.com/

Alan Cooke earned won the 2009 Boston Film Festival for Best Documentary for www.homethemovie.com, Three Emmy nominations and one win for best writing for documentary HOME at the Emmy Awards 2009