Clannad’s Daughter Aisling Jarvis in the United States

 

Feisty Irish singer/songwriter Aisling Jarvis is conquering the United States with her scheduled tours. She is performing either as a solo act or supporting her mom Moya Brennan. It’s only last year when she released her solo EP called Romeo and Juliet and now she is displaying that unbridled confidence playing live, and showcasing her strong voice.
Her music is very contemporary combining elements of pop, new folk and traditional Irish. You would think that this young artist would veer too far away from her Irish roots based on her punk influenced get-up and stage attitude. But she has proven that she can deliver her own fresh sound while still representing her Donegal roots.
As a sound Engineer, Aisling Jarvis introduced her own mixes adding a strong and upfront sound to Clannad’s new album Nadura. I think with her talents and amazing persona, she is going to travel far and wide, and set hearts on fire.

https://www.facebook.com/AislingJarvismusic

Recording Updates from Moxie and Robert Doyle

Wow it’s just the middle of the week and more phantasmagorically smashing updates are coming up from the world of music. OUR world of music 😉

Moxie announced their plans of recording a new album late last year. Now, they are in the middle of it and the effort looks and sounds really promising. Check this amazing link. It gives the new meaning to the word busy :

MOXIE http://www.moxiemuso.com https://www.facebook.com/Moxiemuso
https://www.framelight.ie
http://beechpark.com (Studio)

Robert Doyle is releasing his new album next year. Here’s a sneak peak at the tunes he’s making. Arrangement by  Mark Thomson and video by  Alan Lambert .

Sliabh Russell/Out on the Ocean

http://www.robertdoyle.net

 

 

Repost your Soundcloud!

 

A blog featuring John Breen, Fraser Fifield and TradConnect

It is great to realize that soundcloud has grown into a site where musicians and listeners can interact and repost music. Have you been reposting the music you heard too? I have been doing this today. I have not uploaded my podcast in soundcloud as I use mixcloud for that. But soundcloud is still the biggest site where you can reach many people.
From a mere(passive)listener of tracks you can actually make a difference by reposting. So you don’t have to be a blogger to influence people if you have a soundcloud account. Just share what you are listening to and the Internet will take care of the rest.

When bloggers like us experience a downtime in traffic and comments, we launch into conclusion that perhaps we have done something wrong to put our readers off. Maybe we are not doing good enough and that is why readers are going somewhere. Well, the truth is, you are wrong. For niche bloggers like me, it is expected that I will get specialized subscribers who are really passionate about Celtic music. I don’t expect pop listeners to check out what I post. This goes with other niche blogs out there.

Too many choices.

As new bloggers crop up everywhere, competition becomes deadly. The market is no longer dominated by those who are ‘stalwarts’ in this industry. Prepare for that. When you are doing video blogs or simply writing blogs, don’t be discouraged when you have lost view counts. This is normal. It happens to everyone. It’s even happening to Tech vlogger Chris Pirillo.

Don’t be afraid to try something new.

Are you afraid that if you do something different you will turn certain subscribers off? Don’t be. In fact it might be a good thing. Blogging is like marriage. There are times when a relationship hits plateau and you need to do something different to spice the relationship up.

Going back to soundcloud, I have discovered new posts today and I am sharing them with you. Yes this post is after all about soundclous. But if you get something helpful from by detour then good!

 

John Breen’s Compilation

 

 

I enjoyed many songs from John Breen. There is this simplicity in his way of delivering songs. Expect a range of songs going from simple to grand treatments. This time he compiled his own soundcloud playlist of what he thinks are his top artists.

 

Fraser Fifield Playlist

Here’s the Scottish master of eclecticism. This is a good introduction to what his music is all about. There are other amazing talents that share the spotlight with him, in these recordings.

 

TradConnect playlist:

If you are looking for something purely trad then this is the best site for that.

 

 

Debut Album of CrossHarbour Coming Soon!

 

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CrossHarbour takes the vibrant spirit of Traditional Irish music to new listeners.

CrossHarbour, is the name of the band after a London tube station. But it could also imply “crossing into another country’ through the sea. I love the idea that traditional Irish music blends well with any genre. It is so pure it sounds good with Jazz, Rock, Folk and even Classical music. Rosie Hodgson completes the circle, although she is not present in this video. They recorded their soon-to-be-released debut album at Livingstone Studios, London.

CrossHarbour are: Orlaith McAuliffe (flute), Sam Proctor (fiddle), Philippe Barnes (guitar), Tad Sargent (bodhran) and Rosie Hodgson on vocals. Hodgson has perfect folk vocals that sound warm and smooth. I am sure it’s going to be a fantastic debut album. To quote from Tradconnect: “I saw the future of trad music and its name is CrossHarbour.”

I keep on watching the bodhran technique of Tad Sargent as I am a bodhran student myself. His thundering chops are showcased in these live videos. You can tell they love being onstage. The listeners love them too.

Preorder the album here: http://crossharbourmusic.com/?album=crossharbour-2

 

visited us At Livingston Studios during the recording of their debut album (photos by George Staines)

 

 

Saoirse’s Heart by Celtic Cross.

The sounds of urban New York and the lush rural landscapes of Ireland are the main ingredients of Saoirse’s Heart by Celtic Cross.

It is an energizing experience to listen to the new album of Celtic Cross called Saoirse’s Heart. It seems that the Irish 1939701_10202492302182764_790937896_nspirit has jumped out of my speakers into my living room. It’s been ages since I heard a Celtic inspired pop rock band that can go out into the open with such confidence and maturity. Celtic Cross have all the elements found in groups like The Corrs and Bellefire. But these bands are more pop than Celtic, though there are traditional elements in the former. Celtic Cross made an easy transition between two worlds in Saoirse’s Heart. The interplay of rock and ballads are seamless.

I have many favorites and among them is Jameson Johnny in which lead vocalist Kathleen Fee pinned in what I can describe as a soaring hills-to-heaven singing. She is joined by band mates band mates Kenny and John who are her brothers and co-founders of the group. There also other members who showcased their beautiful playing. Saoirse’s Heart combines New York urban energy and the lush atmospherics of rural Ireland. When you fuse the two, you get something that works for everyone.

After hearing all the fourteen tracks, I don’t remember anything I am not enthusiastic about. Every track sounds different. But the unifying factor is the radio-friendly melodies and catchy hooks that are present in every song. The vocals are not too pop and not too folk/traditional to be too exclusive. Rather, they(the style of singing and instrumental arrangements) set a balance between modern and traditional styles. There are bluesy elements like in Best of Days. I listen to this in the morning when I exercise or water the plants. It is an energetic album that has a smooth appeal. I’d say Saoirse’s Heart is a great album and has a potential to sell like hotcakes!

Sample their tracks here:

http://www.celticcross.com/tunz1979541_10202613832540947_824479361_n

You can contact the band through:

email mail@celticcross.com

Email The Band….

Kathleen Fee – Lead Vocal
kathleen@celticcross.com

Kenny Vesey – Fiddle
ken@celticcross.com

John Vesey – Accordion
john@celticcross.com

Walter Ensor – Guitar & Vocals
walter@celticcross.com

Patrick Dineen – Bass, Keys & Vocals
patrick@celticcross.com