Fans of Moya Brennan will love this new project which is now part of her huge body of work as a solo artist. She worked with daughter Aisling Jarvis(noted for her work as a sound Engineer and singer/songwriter). According to her facebook page posted on October 16:
Aisling Jarvis and I have been writing the music for a TV show called Prisoner Zero for the last 10 months, and the trailer is available for you all to watch now!
I am extremely excited to be working on it, and have been loving working with Planet 55 Studios and Telegael on this production. Watch the trailer below to hear some of the music we’ve been creating, we are very proud of it and can’t wait for you all to see the show!
Moya is also busy preparing her An Irish Christmas Tour this holiday. I have to say our First Lady of Celtic Music has a busy year and her energy impressive! I have followed her career since I got my copy of Perfect Time in 1998. Since then I enjoyed her every album.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Think of the best melodic folk bands in the 70s and then combine that with pop rock sensibility and you have one of the best songs to come out this week. It’s by Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Dee McIlroy. Listen to his Soundcloud page and also listen to his other tunes and I am sure you will appreciate them all.
Tracks from The Wild Atlantic Way – A Journey in Irish Music
For lovers of traditional Irish music this playlist compiled by Tradconnect is a must. It will introduce you to the many wonders of Celtic music and the amazing musicians that inhabit this world. Listen to Danú, The Kilfenora Céílí Band and Kíla. These tracks will rouse you from your sadness and take you to the magical world of a musical style like no other. The Wild Atlantic Way is a compilation album of many artists within the genre.
Richard Parkes from Newtownards, Co.Down on bagpipes, and Trevor Stewart from Belfast on Uilleann Pipes, playing a hornpipe called Jimmy Blue, followed by a selection of jigs. 1996.
This is a beautiful blast from the past. The amazing skills of these musicians will leave you breathless. As if you are chasing after beautiful luminous balls bouncing in the countryside. I had to play it again and again because it is simply irresistible.
Do you want to get a free copy of an Irish traditional record? Well you better hurry before offer runs out. According to Irish recording artist Michael McCague:
So grab your camera phones and make a video of yourselves playing one of his tunes. Hey it wouldn’t be hard even if you don’t have his album yet as you can always looked it up via YouTube.
Celtic Music Fan 