Thanks to Christi, my head is once again turned into the Rankin Family direction. Jimmy Rankin has an official video out in YouTube so you might want to check his site out. This is country tinged with that unmistakable Cape Breton echo. Slipping Away is a warm track that simply makes your head sway and spread a warm sensation all over I realize how bitter-sweet the song is. I like the part when he sings: ” I hear you calling, a thousand light years away”. That voice is awesome. The new album Edge of Day is out!
Just when we thought the singer with the golden voice has deserted us and left us riddles in Gaelic , she is back and is going around doing some shows. It seems that the foremost representative of Cape Breton’s Gaelic culture is back with more surprises. My foray into this lady’s music was actually due to an accident. I walked in the record store when I was in Makati, when I saw Làn Dùil. I knew the music would e something I like. The packaging says it. The colors red and gold expresses the sentiments. When I opened the liner notes I got a big smile. All songs are written in Gaelic! Though I am not a Gaelic speaker, I love the sound of it. I asked the sales person to play it in loud speakers. It was like going home. From then on I followed her career, and was really surprise when I learned she performed in Ashley McIsaac’s tracks like Sleepy Maggie. Miss Lamond is not the type of artist who releases an album every year. She takes her time doing intensive research. It is after all her academic background that brought her to Celtic music. Now she is really back and we hope for a long long time.
Whether you are listening to headphones or theater speakers,the production quality of Putumayos’s Celtic Crossroads will satisfy both formats. The good thing about these compilation as well as the rest that’s been floating around is that they introduce us to popular as well as unheard of artists. These albums are teasers on what to expect if you get into these unique acts.\par
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For instance, the first track Parting Glass from Emer Kelly is head turning; with a voice that is breathy and ethereal as well. Capercaillie’s Hoirean O also made a surprising addition to the mix. Rough energetic styles like Keltik Elektrik’s Wild Mountain Thyme, Peatbog Faeries’ Captain Cou and Ashley McIsaac’s To America(with Mary Jane Lamond on vocals) spar well with Cara Dillon’s diaphanous alternative folk She’s Like the Swallow.Then, there’s Mick McAuley’s luminous track The House Carpenter. Still other known acts like Sinead O’Connor performing Her Mantle is stunning. Alan Stivell’s E Kreiz Hag En makes you long for more Breton music . Gwenno’s ethereal scruffy vocals on Tryweryn makes you wish for a full length album. Michael McGodrick’s Sully’s is a testament to Celtic music’s ability to fuse with other styles and genre yet making it still distinctively world music. This is a must have for those who like their Celtic music a bit of something else and totally familiar.
Cape Breton has it’s own music site on-line. CBMUSIC.COM is user friendly and avoids that clutter present in current music sites. You can check out the music directory , also the links to radio stations. Some links are still being updated so we hope for your patience. Please direct your browsers here For those who weren’t able to check out my Celtic Colors International Festival article, point your browsers here.
“ Sleepy Maggie” captivated North American listeners and the world. This Ashley McIsaac song features Mary Jane Lamond. Cape Breton , Nova Scotia has always been the fore runner of Interesting music in Canada. I first saw Ashley performed in Gael Force, that was in 1997 . His fiddle playing has an irrestible, devilish charm. His controversial actions however created a polarity among listener.
Cape Breton has it’s own music site on-line. CBMUSIC.COM is user friendly and avoids that clutter present in current music sites. You can check out the music directory , also the links to radio stations. Some links are still being updated so we hope for your patience. Please direct your browsers 
“ Sleepy Maggie”
Celtic Music Fan 