1. The Long Note / One Horned Sheep
2. The Dawn / Morning Dew / Speed the Plough
3. Gan Anim
4. The Thatchers Are Here / Old Joe’s Jig / Allistrum’s March
5. Toss the Feathers / Jenny’s Chickens
6. The Haunting
7. Waves / Farewell To Connaught / McFadden’s Handsome Daughter
8. The Providence Reel / The Month of January
9. Limericks Lamentation / Daddy When You Die / The Merry Blacksmith
10. Killarney Boys of Pleasure / The Fyket
From the start of the thundering crystal clear piano of Paul Cienniwa, Baal Tinne aims to do what every musicians want: to transport the listeners into another world where the note is king. The haunting flute of Noel Rice takes us back into the times when New Age music was new and everyone was captivated. The fiddling of Cathleen Rice creates a balance between Traditional Irish and avant-garde instrumental music. And yes, Matt Sundstrom contributes a folk vibe into The Haunting which thanks to Ceolwind Productions, this is my introduction into the quintet’s music.
The group’s name suggests the relationship to Celtic celebration especially the feast of fires which is celebrated during the month of May. The atmosphere of the entire album is that of the changing of the mood brought about by the seasons. The tracks shimmer with authenticity and magic. For a truly stunning listening experience, I suggest the use of headphones. There is something intimate about The Haunting that makes you turn the lights off and light candles.
I miss this sound because it reminds me of groups like Nightnoise and The Secret Garden. Back in the days when Celtic music was not just about technical skills, energy and tradition but also the beauty of the moods and atmosphere that musicians brought to the music. The classical and jazz influences are undeniable which can be found in tracks like The Long Note, The Dawn, Gab Ainm, The Haunting and Waves. Killarney Boys of Pleasure showcases the group’s love for folk and traditional tunes. I love their interpretation of Toss the Feathers because of the arrangement and the clarity of each instrument.
Don’t miss the hymn like Limerick’s Lamentation which I think is one of the most memorable and tunes in The Haunting. Take note of the low pizzicato when the tune starts to catch tempo at 2:30.
Remember that this is their early album. The group has undergone changes. To see the current lineup please visit: http://www.baaltinne.com/
Track list for Affinity: 1. Intro (Suas Síos) 2. Sailing 3. The Lass of Aughrim 4. Worlds Collide 5. I Feel You Breathe 6. Crúiscín Lán 7. Captain O’Kane 8. Seoithín Seó 9. Stóirín Rua 10. When the Morning Breaks 11. Ardaigh Cuan 12. Suas Síos
This year marks the release of Affinity which is a product of musical collaboration between Clannad’s Moya Brennan and Corma De Barra. This project has been anticipated due to the build up of interest mostly brought about by their live shows. Listening to Affinity( 12 tracks plus on radio edit of the single Sailing), one can’t help but notice the musical chemistry between these two artists. It isn’t surprising considering the fact that they have worked together for years.
The album’s official single is Sailing. It’s a song originally done by Christopher Cross in the early 80s and now given a new life. With the harp replacing the piano as the song’s official and consistent hook, the two have preserved the rhythmic element of the original song but added an original sound and atmosphere to it.
Sailing showcases Moya’s contralto range that was seldom highlighted during her years with Clannad(with the exception of Banba). I often marveled at the evolution of her voice. If you picked up Clannad’s 70s recordings you will notice the difference. In this decade, she often sang in the soprano range. Then came the 80s and the voice evolved with more depth and expression. It’s also during this time that she became known for her haunting style of singing: part airy and part traditional-in which she has been known to possess up to the present.
The Lass of Aughrim is a moving remake. If you haven’t seen movie version of The Dead where this song was performed then you better see it. I swear it’ll give you goosebumps as the implication of the song weighs heavily on your heart:
O don’t you remember
That night on yon lean hill
When we both met together
Which I am sorry now to tell
Moya has given this song new life while adding her sound signature. Worlds Collide is notable for its dynamic percussion arrangement. Actually the whole album is a showcase of percussive beauty. They are all over (I feel You Breath, Cruiscin Lan, Captain O’Kane, Storiin Rua, When the Morning Breaks and Suas Sios) giving the songs their driving power yet toned down for a less intrusive effect.
Cormac DeBarra shines in Seothin Seo. His sean nos style of singing feels at home to his unique way of playing the harp. He also made amazing backing vocals to Worlds Collide.The merging of acoustic and electronic instruments is what fans of Clannad will love about this album. Focusing on the beauty of voices and harps, Affinity has achieved what few albums have achieved in this decade: A haunting, captivating and inspiring listening experience.
Affinty marks the continuation of the musical partnership which also includes Voices & Harps workshop in Donegal. This is their second album together. You can hear the music samples via : http://www.moyabrennan.com/ and http://www.voicesandharps.com/
Bio:
Moya Brennan and Cormac De Barra both come from large musical families in Ireland and their mutual admiration for each other naturally developed into a stimulating musical relationship.
Their new album, Voices & Harps, is the culmination of their friendship and creative synergy over the past decade. They combine the simplicity, depth and beauty of the extraordinary skills which make them unique in their own field.
The album and workshop unveils a new chapter in their partnership.
Grammy award winner, Moya Brennan is the singer of Clannad as well as having a successful solo career. She has sung on most of the world’s great stages and has collaborated with many notable artists including The Chieftains, Paul Brady and Bono. She is also part of the female traditional group, T with the Maggies.
Cormac De Barra is renowned internationally as a versatile harp virtuoso. He continually pushes the boundaries of the Irish harp through his work with a wide array of artists, including Hazel O’Connor, Julie Feeney and Clannad. Cormac also tours and records with his brothers Fionán and Éamonn in the family group, Barcó. Besides his busy performing schedule he regularly gives workshops and masterclasses around the world.
Press release:
MOYA BRENNAN and CORMAC DE BARRA
Release their brand new album ‘Affinity’ on June 7th 2013
NEW YORK: Grammy award winning musician, Moya Brennan, and internationally renowned harpist, Cormac De Barra, are set to release their brand new album titled ‘Affinity’ this June. The recording is the result of a merging of two of Ireland’s most acclaimed musical minds; both artists hail from highly respected Irish musical families and have successful careers in their own right.
Ms. Brennan has been admired around the world as the ‘Voice of Clannad’; she is the lead singer of that group since 1975, releasing 18 albums with them, including two with her world famous sister Enya. Simultaneously Moya has managed to parallel an incredible solo career, with 7 albums to her name. Overall her career to date includes over 20 albums, numerous film scores and performances with many great artists such as The Chieftains, Robert Plant, Shane MacGowan and Bono.
Cormac De Barra is renowned internationally as a versatile harp virtuoso. He has continuously pushed the boundaries of the Irish harp through his work and collaborations with an extensive range of artists including Hazel O’Connor, Julie Feeney and Clannad. He writes and records regularly with his family group Barcó and hosts master classes world-wide.
‘Affinity’ features Moya and Cormac trading talents on harps, vocals, keyboards and bodhrán backed by a host of incredibly talented musicians. The record has been independently produced by the duo and mixed by John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, David Byrne, Peter Gabriel) and Tim Oliver (Robert Plant, New Order, Indigo Girls).
Christopher Cross’ mega hit, ‘Sailing’, is the lead single on the much-anticipated 12 track album. Moya says about the song, “Sailing is part of the soundtrack of my youth. It was so exciting to interpret the song with our harps and vocal layers. We didn’t want to change it but I hope we bring freshness to a timeless classic.” There are original tunes on the album including a number songs sung in Gaelic, the native Irish language.
Over the years Moya and Cormac’s reverence for one another has grown strong and they have forged a powerful musical relationship. The past decade has seen the musicians unite their creativity on several projects. “I think that the fact that Cormac and I understand Irish traditional music so well has given us a shared confidence to extend ourselves, push the boundaries and venture beyond our comfort zone”, says Moya. Along with their first collaborative album, ‘Voices and Harps’ in 2011, Moya and Cormac have joined forces to host an annual ‘Voices and Harps’ workshop in Ireland, which is geared towards those with a keen interest in combining singing with harp playing and is now in its third year.
An exciting band featuring fresh and melodic tunes, notable musicians and yes they are on tour!Skinny Lister continue to charm listener with their brand of English folk that incorporates influences from the surrounding nations. music that’s melodic, sweet but at the same time bursting with electricity. They can transform a simple sea shanty or a capella track into a memorable experience. If you haven’t heard of Forty Pound Wedding (Original George Thomas Version) then you miss a good part of the experience. Skinny Lister is fronted by Dan Heptinstall and Lorna Thomas; a vocalist known for her voice and band presence, with Max Thomas on accordion / mandolin, Slim on electric guitar / mandolin and Michael Camino on upright bass. The unison singing that all five members bring to the table is a big part of the Skinny experience.
Founded in 2009, the group has already reaped positive reactions from listeners all over the globe. I think this is brought about by their style that goes down smoothly. It is the kind that breaks down reservations because it is simply hard to detect any flaws in terms of their music, production and live performance. Skinny Lister has it figured out. The music is universal and it is embraced by a wide spectrum of listeners, from Folk, Celtic and Americana.
The group’s mastery of rhythm is further reinforced by the track Rollin’ Over that sends a smile wherever or whenever you hear it played. Colours emphasizes the love for delicate tunes and fine instrumental playing. Right now they are busy with touring European summer festivals, and a week’s tour in Japan for Fujirock later in the summer and they performed successful tour across the United States recently, including Coachella Festival. They have a huge following and I am not surprised. Music like this is meant for the world to hear.
Engineer David Wrench, the same guy who worked with Bat for Lashes and James Yorkston captured the energy of their music on debut album Forge & Flagon.
DEBUT ALBUM ‘FORGE & FLAGON’ OUT NOW IN UK, EUROPE AND USA! | iTUNES / AMAZON – visit – www.skinnylister.com to buy and find out more.
Conor Lamb took the time to talk about the music of the trio Réalta between touring.
I can close my eyes and get lost in the music of Réalta. There is something sublime about it. A quality that revive the spirit and soothes the mind. Open The Door For Three is what I would call as an auspicious album.The maturity and confidence of the trio are showcased in every track. I am glad to discover that Conor Lamb took the time to answer questions. It is also an honor to have him as our featured artist of the week representing Réalta.
Open The Door For Three is one of the amazing releases this year. How did you three decide to create this album?
Ha, deciding to create the album is the easy part… actually doing it is the difficult bit! We had been playing together for a few years and we had some nice sets worked out so it just made sense to try and capture that moment in time and get it recorded. We put a lot of work into the album so it means a lot to us when people enjoy it, so thanks very much, glad you like it.
Realta toured with Altan. Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh made an amazing recommendation of the band. How was the experience touring with Mairead and the rest of Altan?
Simply fantastic. Of course for all of us Altan have been a big influence on our music and their albums have always held a prominent place on our CD collection, so to tour with the band was a great experience. They really are a brilliant bunch of people… and you REALLY get to know people when you are on the road for a month! We had many a long chat about music and a few singing sessions into the early hours so an all round great experience. Mairead told us how Altan have always made a point of promoting Donegal songs and tunes and that we should try and do the same for our part of the world. I think this is a great point and one that we have taken on board. On that tour we were also away the excellent band The Outside Track and a singer/storyteller/matchmaker Willie Daly and again these were all a great bunch so we couldn’t have asked for better.
Picking up a favorite is hard because everything in this album is beautiful. But during a blind choice my finger landed on the beautiful air called Sliabh Geal gCua. Please tell me more about this track.
Glad you like it. Like many Irish airs, Sliabh Geal gCua originates as a song. This piece was written by Pádraig Ó Míléadha, who was born in Waterford and emigrated to Wales. The song describes Pádraig’s longing for the mountain close to the homeland where he spent his childhood. It is a tune we always enjoying performing. Do you think The 2010 William Kennedy Piping Festival opened doors for the trio?
Conor, Deirdre and Aaron
Me and Aaron have been going to the festival since we first started playing the pipes. So I think by attending the classes and concerts the festival helped open doors for us long before we could even scrape together the Kesh jig. This is why it was such a big deal for us when we were invited to play there as a band. A thoroughly nerve wreaking experience but also a very enjoyable one. Two uilleann pipers and a female vocalist playing guitar and bouzouki. This is rare in traditional groups. How did you manage to make it work?
You think it works!? Hmm, that’s good to hear. It wasn’t a specific instrumentation line up we had in mind or had a reason for, we just got together to play tunes because we like it. And I think that is a good basis to start upon. To be honest, when you have two pipers in the band it also forces you to be creative with regards to arrangements and this can bring about some very interesting results. Also, I think people generally like the fact that it isn’t very common.
What’s the story behind Deirdre’s unique voice?
Hmm, don’t quite know how to answer that. That is just what she sound like, and we like it.
Tell me more about Aaron O’Hagan who also plays the bodhrán.
I have been friends with Aaron since we first started learning the pipes so we go back a long way. He is a great all round musician and also a brilliant pipe maker and reed maker. He studied at an instrument making course over in England and has been producing some great sets since. When you have two sets of pipes in the band it is great to have someone with his skills help keep the things working and in tune together.
You can also get the album from CDBaby.com and Amazon, but it is best to go direct to our own website. Also, if you like the tunes, please say hello on our facebook page www.facebook.com/realtamusic Conor, you manage to be an amazing band spokesperson. How do you keep it together?
With great difficulty. Haha, only joking everyone plays their part in the band.
What are you and the rest of the band expect this year musically?
We have a few nice things coming up. We are just back from a two-week tour in Denmark, and over the summer we have festival gigs planned in Greece, Belgium, Netherlands and Brittany. Check out our website for the details.
The world is getting a taste of the wonderful artists coming form Northern Ireland. This is an exciting year for Northern Irish artists. What’s your shout out to your fellow Northern Irish and also the rest of the listening crowd?
The amount of musical talent coming out of North and Ireland in general is superb. There are so many great new CDs coming out I simply can’t keep up. Certainly from the Belfast / Antrim direction a few names to keep an eye out for are At First Light, Craobh Rua, Brendan Mulholland, Grainne Holland, Ioscaid… the list goes on. The music is in safe hands.
***
Huzzah!
Have a listen to this track written by Brendan Phelan and Performed by John Breen with Steven Collins on Mandolin. Such a soothing song with a beautiful message.
No More Woman You’ll Kill
21 Black Jack
Rather Die than Forget
Next Sunday We’ll Be Back Again
The Way Back Home
With Head Held High
The American Dream
Hate Cannot Be Forever
At The Counter Bar
My Childhood Dreams
Fancy Prankster
Johnny Techno Ska
“Refarmatory” is am album by Spanish band The Fatty Farmers. This is straight ahead Celtic rock with nods to the musical styles of The Levellers and The Pogues. I love it when bands tell about the music through the album artwork. And yes I love what I hear. In fact, The Fatty Farmers left a sonic impact that distinguishes them from the current outcropping of bands of the same musical bent. There’s never a dull moment. Every track packs a wallop.
Listen to 21 Blackjack and Sraka Dupa and you will know what I mean about sonic impact. So yeah this is an album for the depressed. Listeners who are in search of something energetic and cheerful. The band gave a bit of tribute to their Spanish roots via Sraka Dupa and other tracks but the vocals are unmistakably Irish sounding. The Head Held High showcases the bands mastery of groove. Out of this 14 tracks, I can’t find any song that’s weak or bad. You can tell the choice of materials have undergone careful analysis prior to its studio release.
I enjoy funny album artwork . The lyrics are also interesting. The instruments are superb. Talking about lyrics there is one song that really caught my attention. It is called At the Counter Bar which pays tribute to The Mermaid and the Drunks by Pablo Neruda but with a twist. Like the music, the songs have explicit lyrics and I read a lot of F bombs there but it is ok. Music is supposed to express what you feel inside and what you meant to say in colors. I love what The Fatty Farmers did for Refarmatory and I hope this record gets heard by the majority of Celtic rockers.
You may get their humor or not. But they can surely draw reaction. And like what I told one of my friends. When people don’t react to you, then it means you are boring. Refarmatory is definitely far from boring.
Bio:
At the start of 2009 a Group of farmers from different stables appear in the music scene in Toledo to bring us a music style never heard around here.
This group brings rhythm and fun with there different costumes and there hardly seen instruments.
From the banjo to the electric mandolin played by the wild Rodrigo Farmer, to the bagpipes and irish whistles by the sweet Javato, passing by “The little boy” Javito Farmers violin.
The group is completed with Lamber on the bass, Lalo playing the acoustic guitar, Fignani the electric guitar and Juankar on the drums. The last one to join the group has been Goyo, a crack of the accordion and another big push to the group.
Celtic Punk Rock Folk music that isn’t to be heard at home but to be seen in this groups great live show that will make you want to sing, dance, jump, party hard and forget about everything for a little bit.
If you haven’t yet, please check out the other version of my interview of Kevin O’Donnell that appeared in this month’s edition of Irish American News. That’s page 12 of the digital copy. Thanks to Noah Smulkis of Ceolwind Productions for mailing me the physical copy of the magazine!
Celtic Music Fan 