Enya is back with Dark Sky Island and what have I learned so far?

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New Enya album Dark Sky Island will be out this year, November 20.

Seven years folks. Yes it took Enya seven years to come up with a follow-up to her holiday album And Winter Came. And for the first time in many months I am doing a bit of redesigning. This site looked old. I feel old when I post here. So many things happened. I have moved on. I discovered new passion. The seasons have changed me. But one thing remains. Every time she releases a new album I feel the seasons of my life shifting. It’s like whatever happened to me, no matter what happens…that familiar sound will always remind me what kind of person I am(or used to be). Do you also feel this? Do you feel the bite of revisiting old events? Ir is there something in your past that is not that bad? I think for me if ever there is that ‘equalizer’ then it has to be music. With the release of Dark Sky Island, what have I learned from Enya?

  1. Stay true to your style no matter what people say. Yes we always add layers. We don’t change but we are capable of morphing into another person when situation calls for it.I don’t ever forget a mistake and I always remember. But then again we customise our lives to carry on because that’s what we have to do. If we don’t then we die. And when we die then all the struggles that we did and those who loved us will be for nothing. So yes we aim for the best. In all of us and everyone. But we will always stay true to who and what we are in the seasons of our lives.
  2. Don’t do anything unless you mean it and you do it passionately. This is what has always defined Enya’s career through the years. She doesn’t care if another album comes out in 2025 or 2030. The important thing is that the process was done as she (Nicky and Roma) intended the album to be.
  3. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Have you ever lost someone so important in your life that every year you miss that person? This is the same with music. She doesn’t put out albums year after year. Because face it, no matter how innovative you are as an artist, you need to take a break from your fans and your art. Or else you will have nothing left to give in say, five years from now.

I probably sound tired or morose writing this. But life has been like that for the past two years. I am glad I have decided to hit the gym after all these years. It helped me in controlling my life, my moods and my time. And yes what life will be without Enya music?

So what’s the theme behind Dark Sky Island? According to Enya:

“This album has a theme of journeys,” Enya said. “Journeys to the island; through the length of a lifetime; through history, through emotions; and journeys across great oceans. So although it’s not a ‘themed’ album, as such, we nevertheless have an underlying connection between songs.” 

Sounds like my life.

Hear the new single Echoes in Rain below:

Mountain Rose by The Gothard Sisters: Girl Power in Celtic Music!

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Just say you are a casual listener and you happen you see one of the performances of The Gothard Sisters. I am pretty sure you would be amazed how these three sisters carry themselves. They are musically and visually captivating. You don’t even have to be a fan of Celtic music to really take note of their musical skills. This is girl power to the max. I mean, they have always carried their musical careers independently since the release of their debut album in 2006. And they stayed true to their style no matter how fickle-minded the music industry is.61eNCSEy9CL._SS280

I love the cover artwork of Mountain Rose. It really says a lot about their playfulness. And the materials are sonically delicious. I am talking about the cover of Andy M Stewart’s “Queen of Argyll.” Mr Stewart introduced me to traditional Irish music during the explosion of Green Linnet records in the 90s. The sisters gave this tune an interesting twist. The trio wrote some songs too. And whole album is like a good book you need to read up to the end. I say that because I am more of an album guy. I’d rather buy full-length albums as opposed to compilations or ‘best of.’ I am sure some of you can relate to this as every song tells a story. And every story is a branch that makes up the bigger tree which is the album. Greta, Willow and Solana are really good in making this album consistent while making each track unique to each other.

I love the clarity of The Bandit. They combine the elegance of their classical training to folk tracks. I Courted a Sailor sounds fitting in these times of gender equality. But while making interesting materials worth the discussion over coffee, they also make sure that the craft doesn’t suffer. Cat In A Bush is another playful track to listen to if you are a fan of traditional instrumental music. The Boatman’s Call reminds me a bit of Connie Dover in terms of the clear and magical vocals, while St. Annie’s Reel is a force of nature. As a fan of Grace O’Malley’s story, I am so glad the sisters have this track about her. Yes another tribute to a strong woman in history.

There are plenty of tracks you should not miss in this album. It is really a satisfying experience and I hope you get Mountain Rose and that this album will introduce you to the rest of their discography. Out of five starts I give this a five!

Moxie: Taking the Heat for Being an Innovative Trad Band?

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As a blogger, I learned to be careful what I write online. Well, it doesn’t matter what I write about myself especially if I do it in a self-deprecating manner. It is part of my humor. But writing about bands is different. Your criticisms appear in search engines. You could be tagged with it forever. And it is quite unfair to do that to a band that is still trying to build their roots or fanbase. Of you do that to stalwarts, most likely they have fans who can defend them. Or they don’t care because nothing you will say will affect their careers. But if you do that to new bands who barely released five albums then there are things that you need to consider.

Are you writing that to help them improve? Most likely they don’t need your suggestion. Because they are professional musicians and they have a clear vision of what they want to happen with their music. They are just starting to tap into that musical segment that appreciate the kind of music they do-and not what you would like them to do.

It’s a big musical world. There are styles that you like and there are those that you don’t. If you don’t like the music then you move along. There is no need to write scathing reviews. There is no need to kill another creative spirit just because you you think you know what is right for everyone. I read a post from Irish band Moxie a couple of days ago. And this is what it says:

We would like to say something about this talk of the tradition being broken as we have been a heavily mentioned part of the topic. We are playing music that we create ourselves. The root of our music came from playing both ‘Traditional’ and ‘Modern’ Irish Music while bringing in influences of Jazz, Hip Hop, funk, bluegrass, Classical and other world music. There are a lot of people saying we are bastardising ‘Traditional Music’ but that is not true. The pure traditional music is safe in the hands of many bands, solo performers and hard working people behind the scenes who dedicate their careers to the Tradition and play the music they WANT. What we are doing is creating a new wave of fusion music which we have labeled MOXAGE. We are proud to say that we are all rooted deep in traditional Irish music and that we will love it forever. With Moxie we play something that is NOT ‘Traditional’, however it is ‘Irish’. Regardless of the fact that we are pushing boundaries, working hard to enhance our career and playing the music we WANT to play, we are also providing audiences all over the world a taste of something new and fresh. Regardless of the people who dislike our music we are proud to represent a new form of ‘Irish Music’. We live in a multi-cultural society. With the growth of technology and the melting pots of mixed cultures in cities all over the world, music is bound to evolve and we believe in evolution!
If everything stays the same then we will live everyday just like the last. We are changing the way that WE play Irish Music, not the way traditional music is played. At the end of the day Music is Music and people enjoy what we are doing, young and old. That is why we will continue to do so. 

Thank you everyone for the support,

MOXIE

I think what Moxie is doing is great. It is refreshing. It is adventurous. I love how they introduce something new to traditional-inspired music. They are not a traditional band. They are musicians making beautiful music. There is always a place for any type of music. I love traditional music as it is played which is in a traditional way. But if artists start exploring other avenues then let them be. It is time to move on. But love music. And never create discord because of it. We should support one another because hey, independent music is a small community.

I love what Fiach Moriarty posted in defense of them:

Fair play lads. You can’t be a heavyweight without taking a few slugs to the chin. Seolaigí ar aghaidh!!

If everything stays the same then we will live everyday just like the last. We are changing the way that WE play Irish Music, not the way traditional music is played. At the end of the day Music is Music and people enjoy what we are doing, young and old. That is why we will continue to do so.

Thank you everyone for the support,

MOXIE

Wow: Why Should I, Abby Green’s 3rd CD

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I’sé mo laoch mo Ghile Mear.

He is my hero, my bright strength/spirit.

‘Sé mo Chaesar, Ghile Mear,

He is my Caesar, true strength,- One of the songs from Why should I? by Abby Green

Hey, Baxter Ivon! Check out our friend Abby Green’s new CD!-Christi

Yes that’s my pal and fellow music enthusiast Christi Caughey. If you remember(if you have been following this blog for like three or four years) I posted something about Abby Green. I have been a little bit behind in my game. My hand injury slowed things a bit and yeah, I get sad missing my late mom and going through the motions of doing things through my left hand. But yes, perky Abby Green is back! And she not behind in her game. img_4107-edit-edit_med

The recording is done. She just needs a little help in packing this album to listeners. You can learn more about it by viewing the video here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1705984901/why-should-i-abby-greens-3rd-cd

You can listen to snippets of each song. Her voice is expressive and joyful as always. I admire the design of her website. I love the colors green, blue and orange. Why Should I? has ten songs. I love Juice of the Barley as of the moment as I really need one. It is a Sunday and I am feeling a little bit Irish haha.

I love her version of Mo Ghile Mear. I love its simplicity and also lack of instrumental accompaniment. It’s just her voice layered multiple times. It gives me a feeling of peace. Like I am inside a cathedral looking at beautiful stained glass windows and smelling burning candles.

Why should I showcases songs in Gaelic(Irish and Scottish) and English. I am excited to get my hands on this. You should too! She launched the album through Kickstarter.

Buy here recordings by going to this link: http://www.abbygreen.com/cds/

The Lush and Vibrant “The Promise” by Caitlin Grey is Here!

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I am enjoying the new album of Caitlin Grey called The Promise. One thing I noticed upon playing this album for the first time is her beautiful and supple voice. It has the ease of a folk singer and the refined muscle of a classically trained vocalist. She uses these influences seamlessly in this new album, consisting of twelve songs.There are original songs as well as interpretation of traditional materials. I love her rendition of She Moved Through The Fair because of its melodic simplicity and emotional power. a1763992850_16

The title track is something that will please fans of Clannad, Loreena McKennitt and Anuna or even Secret Garden. Her arrangements are also spot on. I love the drumming on this one because it sounds almost like a pop ballad. But then again we know that with Ms Grey, every song can be a magical journey between classical and folk.

Her approach to singing tells you  this is how to sing these songs. Yes, especially these kinds of songs because it takes a special artist to pull this off. Because in the hands(or throat) of an ordinary singer, they will sound weird. These songs choose a singer and that singer is Caitlin Grey. I love it when she harmonises in some songs.They sound whispery, airy and crystal clear. I love the style of Innisfrie because I love movie soundtracks. Ailein Duinn is haunting  especially with the harp. An original from Scottish group Capercaillie for the movie Rob Roy. I love her singing in Scottish Gaelic. She maintained the beauty of the original but added her own unique style.

I love ballads that build up gradually. And this is the style that is present in most of the songs in The Promise. Black is the Color is another personal favourite. She sings that sense of loss where words fail.

In My Awakening, I like that part of the chorus where she sings the line “..When all my life fades away in tomorrow..” deeply moving! In Anam Cara, her voice is a powerful instrument that can transport us to anywhere in the world where she wants to take us. Call of the Clans closes this wonderful album with an arrangement that can rival any operatic aria. Listen to the latin chants at the end of the song. If that does not conjure something in you, then you are not human.

The Promise is a work of magnificent sound craftsmanship and artistic maturity. Looking forward to her third album!