Extended play

Bold by NUA

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Artwork by Eva McCauley

Artwork by Eva McCauley

NUA:

James M Law: Fiddle
Graeme McGillivray: Guitar
Jacob McCauley: Bodhrán

http://trionua.com/

I think Bold is an album that has been conceived meticulously and produced artfully. Every track, every nuance is captured and believe me when I say that there is not a single track in this album that fails to induce a smile. I’ve often wondered what is it about Celtic music that captivates the spirit and creates this palpable sense of joy. I think like food, an album has to be conceived where preparation goes hand in hand with the mood of the performers. All those long hours trying to play, and then more hours in the studio mixing and mastering each track.

The approach of NUA in their music has always been a shared ideas of the three members. This is something I noted in past interview where all members share this cohesive idea about the intent and concept of their releases, starting with their EP. They have incorporated the same tunes on the EP, but some of them (especially Fizzbuzz) has been re-worked and recording at a much higher level. The carrier single is the captivating The Dark Road. There is that color of suspense and mystery at the start of the track, and later on, exploding into a climax of robust play of traditional instruments.

NUA has always conveyed energy in their tunes. But this is balanced by the stately melodies. This quality can be found in Ecklunds and Flying CDs. Perhaps it is how they put emphasis on the nuance of playing, or they are just masters of weaving tunes that evoke gossamer harmonies on top of driving rhythms.

NUA is rooted in Traditional Irish/Scottish music, but it’s the experimentation, originality and the thirst to push the limits of traditional music that defines their sound.There is that unmistakable manner in which they play their instruments that allow them to cross over. Something unspoken but resonant. Something magical and pure which  NUA truly represent.

Bold by NUA: An in depth listening experience.

Bold is like a train journey  that starts with an intro and closes with  outro. The journey as I described above in general was an intoxicating experience. But how does it really sound like if we take it apart track by track? Below are my findings .

Intro: The suspended chord pattern and effects set the mood for what’s to come. The train has opened its doors to me and here I go. There is that friendly and optimistic tone that marks this piece that is a minute and a half long. When I listen to this, I feel like I am waiting for an exciting play to happen. There is that brightness in the music and a sense of anticipation.

In Fizzbuzz , I noticed that steady instrumental  sound. It isn’t the keyboards since they all play acoustic instruments. It sounds like a guitar with this consistent steady sound. I asked Jacob what it is. And he said it is Graeme bowing his guitar with James’s bow. I have heard this method done by rock musicians but to be incorporated by a trad band, the experience is totally unique. It’s the an alien has landed and I am waiting for the space ship to open.  UFO on a train journey. Not bad.

 

The Draw proves to be an exciting fuel. Because of how the track was re recorded and little details were added, The Draw sounds fuller. The Bodhran ‘talks’ to me while the fiddle has this lush sound.  The is exciting because it is upbeat and crystal clear. It mimics how a bird beats it wings as it tries to catch up with the train. I’m on the window looking out. The world opens up to possibilities.

 

In Ecklunds, the rhythm takes control. This track makes me feel like I want to do step dancing. It has that inviting melody. Sort of sensual, playful and warm. I heard this is a tune that was made a long time ago. I will definitely ask them about it in an upcoming interview.

 

One can’t deny the Jazz influence in Happy Cammy Drammy Birthday. The mood this sound creates is unique. It has that interesting sound. I’d describe it as seductive. I think this is how something like honey, whiskey combined with lemon.

 

I sense suspense in The Driving Song . It is like a train has started and an adventure awaits. But yes you have to go through different scenes and this tune is telling me that the journey is more interesting than the destination. There are surprises as the structure of the tune shifts and goes back.

 

The mood becomes intoxicated with The Thistle and the Daffodil. This tune has that nice pounding intro that sounds commanding. Crisp surface of sounds coming from the guitar which in its wispy mixing almost sounds like a substitute for cymbals.  This tune tells me that one has to be bold when taking a journey. Yes it think it’s the fiddle saying that and the guitar trying to confirm that the idea is true. The beat is optimistic as it makes me see flowers and trees in my mind. With the sun beating down on the train.

 

The Dark Road sounds like a train ride  entering a tunnel. The interesting part happens in 1:35 when I feel like I am approaching the darkness of the tunnel. The pounding notes remind me of broken lights that zoom by. And after, the train moves into the light and all is fine again.

 

From exhilarating mood, the album shifts to a more warmer and romantic nature of Rich with Heart.This is a  ‘love’ track. A break from the pounding energy of the previous tracks proves to be a nice one. A love proposal on the journey? Perhaps a marriage inside the train? Who knows. Anything is possible when you let your imagination go. And this is a tune that is beautifully written.

 

The warm mood still lingers with Peter and Michelles. This one is a waltz that reminds me of music played during a buffet. It is welcoming  and warm. Something that is played on open door gatherings and parties involving people who know each other. And once again the speed picks up with Flying CDs.

 

How these three musicians can make a tune sound like an orchestral piece is always what NUA is all about. The layering of the fiddle is fantastic. And the title itself Flying CDs make me think of childish pranks and good times.

 

Martyns Yellow Teapot has a very Scottish melody. I learned it is a tribute to the late Martyn Bennet. The melody reminds me of sun flowers. Sun flowers on the field on this journey as the noon sun continues to shine.

 

The journey is almost done with The Hijack. I always listen to the bohdran in this track. The tatatatata is hypnotic. It’s as if the instrument is talking to you.

 

The adventure ends with the outro. It is already afternoon and it is time to rest. Bold has accomplished what music is supposed to do: to transport listeners to another world or experience. It is a fantastic listening experience that will make lovers of Celtic and instrumental music come back for more.

Track Listing and Composers:
Intro : Law, McGillivray, McCauley
Fizzbuzz : Law & McGillivray
The Draw : Law & McGillivray
Ecklands : Law & McGillivray
Happy Cammy Drammy Birthday: Michael Ferrie, arranged by NUA
Maggie Lake: McGillivray
Driving Song : Oliver Schroer, arranged by NUA
The Thistle and the Daffodil: Law & McGillivray
The Dark Road : McGillivray
Rich with Hart : Law & McGillivray
MacCarthers Road : Traditional
Peter and Michelles : Law & McGillivray
Flying CDs: Law
Martyn’s Yellow Tea Pot : Law & McGillivray
The Hijack : Law & McGillivray
Mallaig Two Step : Law
Outro : Law, McGillivray, McCauley

Graeme McGillivray, James M Law and Jacob McCauley.

Skipper’s Alley Self-Titled EP

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Skipper's Alley

The Band Members are:

John Flynn – Vocals, Guitar, Flute

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin – Vocals, Flute, Concertina

Cathal Caulfield – Fiddle, Viola

Paddy Cummins – Banjo, Mandola

Fionnán Mac Gabhann – Uilleann Pipes, Tin Whistle

Eilís Lavelle – Harp

Cian Ó Ceallaigh – Bodhrán

Something exciting is happening in the trad/folk scene when these seven members of  Skipper’s Alley released their self-titled EP this year. The EP has four tracks all possessing diverse arrangement yet cohesive in a sense that you know it is their sound.  Ta Me Mo Shuidhe brings back the glory of Skara Brae and The Bothy Band. Rockin’ the Boat jumps at you with its grace as precision. Jim Coleman’s is another charmer  with its awesome break between explosive choruses of trad instrument and the quieter uilleann pipes/fiddle ‘talk’ in between.

Wild Bill Jones is is a poignant ballad with beautiful vocals by John Flynn and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin singing vocal harmony. I admire the play of shadows between the quiet and the rousing use of instruments. There is a current that runs through all the four tracks representing the band’s youth and excitement for playing music. There is also something magical about Skipper’s Alley as a band. You can sense it in the first track with that sparkling harp intro. You can feel the affection of their music wrapping around you in the sound of the uilleann pipes. The banjo gives their sound a kind of organic feel. The fiddle adds that skipping energy especially during jigs and reels. I like the otherworldly rhythm of the bodhrán, an instrument that is both modern and ancient. All instruments are recorded with that lush approach in this EP

These amazing young musicians made a great start with this this music. It is something that traditional or non traditional fans will really enjoy. There is that rock n roll energy on top of their folk beauty. Have a pint, enjoy the tunes and feel the love of music!

Buy the EP here: http://www.skippersalley.ie/store.htm

Celtic Music Fan Podcast #2

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1.Caru Pum Merch by Jamie Smith’s Mabon from Windblown album:www.jamiesmithsmabon.com/windblown/

2.Méav: The Calling ‘The Calling’ out on August 26th…www.meav.ie/

3.Sadhbh Ni Bhruinneallaigh – Liam O Maonlai from the Highland Sessions:www.musicscotland.com/cd/The-Highlan…-Sessions.html

4. The Dublin Minstrel by John Breen from his first album (JOHN BREEN)www.facebook.com/JohnBreen2u and www.atlantamusicgroup.com

5. Hornpipes for Uncle Joe by Maxim Cormier from the debut self-titled instrumental album.maximcormier.com/

6, The Congress Reel by Poitín, also a name for a traditional Irish distilled, highly alcoholic beverage. www.amazon.co.uk/Poitan/dp/B007N8…-3902860-7902456

7. The Draw by Nua taken from their four-track EP. trionua.bandcamp.com/

8.Whiskey Tonight by the Indulgers taken from the album of the same title.www.reverbnation.com/theindulgersirishband

9: Derriere Chez Moi(Y A Un Etang) by Chai ha Dichal from” The Gathering”www.ynchruinnaght.com/cd/

10. Cliffs of Baccalieu By Allison Crowe from The Newfoundland Vinyl:www.allisoncrowe.com/music.html

11. The Home Coming by Cornish violinist Sue Aston from the ‘Inspirational Journey’ .www.sueaston.com/

Visit www.celticmusicfan.com

The Rattling Kind: Rise Up EP

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The Rattling Kind

Catchy, energetic and profound. These are the things that come to mind when listening to The Rattling Kind.

Album: Rise Up EP

Band members:

Eddie Sherlock: Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Tom Forde: Bass and Vocals
Ben McGinn: Lead Guitar and Vocals
Anthony White: Drums and Percussion

Genre: Indie/Folk/Rock

Sounds like: REM with a banjo.

The Rattling Kind are an exciting band with a fresh approach to Irish music that’s emerging from the  Northside of Dublin. If you play the title track Rise Up the first time this is what you will notice: A gradual build up of instruments, from the gentle percussion, a single guitar note that seems to wink at you, and then the swaggering banjo plucking that introduces the voice of Eddie Sherlock: Michael Stipe with a “Dublin howl.” Mainstream listeners would probably mistake The Rattling Kind as REM with a banjo, mandolin and other assorted mix of Irish instruments but the five tracks off the EP Rise Up will confirm that they have an original sound and musicianship that should be taken seriously.

I think The Rattling Kind have this exciting and melodic sound embedded all throughout their songs: A really fresh approach to Irish music! Another thing I noticed is that they can rock the house down without being noisy. There is that strong affinity to folk that is intimate and warm. Tracks like The Mero has this Simon and Garfunkel feel in the midst of the Dubliners’ marching energy.

The lyrics tackle topics ranging from economic, political to other aspects pertaining to the human condition. Rise Up actually touches the current situation happening not just in Ireland but the rest of the world; especially the economic instability that triggers the rise of immigration.

Rise Up is also a catchy EP. For instance Follow the Moon has this signature ‘woooh!’ stamped at the end of each verse that makes me do the same thing. But in spite of the positive and playful vibe, there is one poignant track that closes Rise Up and it’s called No Time To Say Goodbye and this is embellished by the beautiful sound of the tin whistle.

With Rise Up, I think The Rattling Kind will attract fans of diverse music, especially those who are into the combination of alternative rock, pop and Irish folk.

Trivia: According to Eddie Sherlock, the Mero is their take on an old Dubliners classic, written by Pete St John (the man who wrote the Fields of Athenry).

Links –
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rattling-Kind
https://soundcloud.com/#the-rattling-kind
http://breakingtunes.com/therattlingkind
http://www.reverbnation.com/therattlingkind
http://youtu.be/_PanCzrCRJc
http://chewyourownfat.com/near-fm-label-sampler/
http://reviews.ticketmaster.ie/7171-en_ie/1722346/the-rattling-kind-reviews/reviews.htm

NUA, Working On Their Full-Length Album

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NUA

NUA warming up the cold

Celtic Music Update: NUA

Something is cooking in the studio of this wonderful Canadian trio NUA. Yes you must have read my interview and review and you can tell by my enthusiasm that they won me over. Crisp and lush production combine with the best cuts from the recording-yes they have what it takes to turn heads/ears. A full-length album? Sounds wonderful. I know what to expect and it’s always a collection of amazing tracks. Have you heard their EP? If not, try to listen to the bandcamp playlist above and you will know what I mean. Since when have I featured less interesting music? You bet. So what’s up with this article?

I got a word out from award-winning bodhrán player Jacob McCauley regarding this new album. So how hectic were the past two months for the trio?

Last month was very hectic to say the least. We basically had set aside a week (the last week of June) for recording and spent the weeks leading up to it rehearsing and putting together new material. It was a little more rushed then we would have liked, as James and Graeme had just recently graduated from college and university and we had played very little in the last few months. But nonetheless we started putting in the time and things began to come together. As we entered the studio to record things weren’t 100%, but it’s quite common to often make changes or add things when you are in the recording zone. That was the case with some of our new material. We got the bulk of material recorded and we will be finishing off the rest in a couple weeks. James and Graeme are both involved in a music camp run by James’s family in B.C, so they are now in B.C for the camp and to spend time with their families. When they return we will be putting the finishing touches on the tracks so they can be ready for mixing, mastering and production.

I know this is too soon to ask but I was curious about the promo plans for the new album when it gets released. According to Jacob:

At the moment most of our focus has been on preparing the material and recording, so the promo plans have not been set in stone at this point. But there will of course be some of the usual online promotion. We will be releasing a single from the album a few weeks before the album officially releases, as well as some live concert footage of new material. We will also be doing a small pre-release run of copies, but those will only be for sale at the local festivals/concerts that we are doing this summer. Lastly, there will be a CD release party locally here in Toronto, but the date is TBA.

So there is going to be a CD release party. That sounds amazing!  I asked him what to expect in the new NUA album in terms of sound and concept:

Well, if you listened to the EP we released last November, then you will certainly have an idea of how we sound, but you can expect this full-length album to go much deeper. The EP was essentially just our 4 favourite original tunes at the time, recorded and presented in a simple format. It’s really a challenge to explain the concept without giving too much away, but to put it in plainest terms; the album will not be your standard album that simply goes from tune to tune. The layout of the album, what happens between track to track and the overall flow is all a reflection of our creativity and how we feel the album should be presented. From start to finish we want the album to reflect our moods and our feelings through each tune and leave the listener feeling as if they experienced a journey; however that journey makes them feel. It is most definitely the type of album to listen to from start to finish. I’m afraid that’s all I can say for now!

I really love the EP. So this is going to be a progression from the initial 4 tracks. When a band is releasing an album I am always curious about the distribution upon release. You see, there are other Celtic bands out there who are trying to brainstorm their way into this generation of releasing albums and I am always happy to help get the word out through my interviews with musicians. So I asked Jacob about  how’s the distribution for the release going to be:

The distribution will be fairly standard. It will be available on all major music sites such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play etc as well as our own websites. Physical and digital copies will be available. The release date is TBA, but when the released date is announced we will be taking pre-orders.

And as for  what made the three  of them decide that it’s time to release a full-length album? His answer:

Well, we actually did have enough material at the time of the EP last year to work on a full-length. But we felt that it was a better idea to record and release more of a teaser at that point in time to help get our name out there and give people a preview of our music. I think it’s safe to say that it always was evident that we also wanted to work on new material to add to the repertoire already composed as well as continuing to grow as a group. Now that James and Graeme have finished their musical studies and have more time to devote to the group, it made perfect sense to begin work on a full-length album. Once the album is out it will give us an opportunity to devote to many more concerts, festivals and tours.

Sounds like an ingenious plan to me. Testing the waters before diving!

And  the band’s message to NUA listeners?

On behalf of myself, James and Graeme we would like to thank all of our devoted listeners for their support and we are really looking forward to rewarding you with our full-length album. You can keep track of our progress via our official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TRIONUA as well as our Reverbation page which has access to all of our music, videos and all other info: http://www.reverbnation.com/trionua

That’s it folks. Take note of the name : NUA. They are from Canada and they play wonderful instrumental Celtic music!