Glad to be back on air! I have cut my show shorter because it is hard to upload such a big file. But if you tune in for the rest of Saturdays on www.radiohappy.eu then I will be playing music all day.
I discovered the music of Morenn after clicking the link posted by Francois Marchal of Caliorne on facebook. I think Morenn is a fascinating project and needs a good support from lovers of Breton Celtic music. There are three videos posted in their kisskissbankbank crowd funding project in which one of them I decided to post here. Their approach to music is eclectic, blending traditional Breton sounds and other World influences. The music is lively, optimistic and evokes the landscapes of Brittany.
Members of Morenn are Xavier Boderiou , Sylvain Barou andPellen Jacques. The three are the finest in the world of Breton music. I am quoting this interesting blurb from the site so you will have an idea what the project is all about:
The “Morenn” project is the result of the meeting between Xavier Boderiou, Sylvain Barou and Jacques Pellen around the classical music of Scottish bagpipes.The piobaireachd is usually performed solo. The songs here are unstructured, merging three instruments consistently. This unique creation combines bagpipes, guitar, flute, but also a hint of experimental music around a centenary book for an explosive result in imprecise, nebulous … Morenn.
I decided to go ahead and just upload the whole show instead of chopping it up into bits and deleting some. Hey what’s more interesting that letting the world hear your bloopers right? It is a very human thing. And I like human thing 🙂
So yes that’s three hours of music and some talk in between tracks. I love Saturdays because that’s the time I become a pilot of the cyberwaves. I live for music and I think it is what makes me live. What about you? What is that thing that makes you want to wake up every morning?
Despite the power failure at the start of my indie variety show(not again!) I was able to save the stream so I will be playing back the whole three-hour show 8 hours from now but I need to catch sleep first. Here are the tracks I played today:
Autodj featuring Loreena McKennitt (3pm German time)
Stolen child/ Snow/ Ancient Pines/All Souls NightThe Old Ways/ Full Circle/The Mummer’s Dance/Penelope’s Song/ The Wind That Shakes The Barley visit: http://www.quinlanroad.com/
Nick Burbridge – lead vocal
Molly Burbridge – backing vocal
Ben Paley – fiddle
Tim Cotterell – mandolin
Dil Davies (Oysterband) – drums
Jeremy Cunningham (Levellers) – bass
Clare Sanders – whistle
Al Scott – guitars
McDermott’s 2 Hours has given us an antidepressant with Anticlockwise which is their ‘Best of’ compilation album. It signals the band’s creative growth up to the new track Erin Farewell. The cover art with the devil and a bunch of naked people should give you a hint what’s to come. Songwriter and guitarist Nick Burbridge (who also formed this band) has a kind of creativity that I would describe as erratic and explosive. He is the type of artist who is fearless in executing his ideas whither you like them or not. And that spontaneity coupled with raw energy can be found all over Anticlockwise. Newcomers to their music will find great stuff to be remembered here, now that the best songs in their entire catalog are here-and new ones too.
Nick Burbridge
Instrumentally, Anticlockwise is as lush as a good harvest. Vocally it’s blessed with his good vocal range ( and smooth tenor) that can be fiery one moment and then restrained the next. World Turned Upside Down is a personal favorite with its Gregorian inspired intro. The contrapuntal singing style gives us that renaissance feel.
So what can I say about this new release of Nick Burbridge’s band? I’m a fan of Nick and it is hard to be objective when you are a fan. And it is a good thing because music is a personal experience and I think whatever touches can never be questioned. The over all vibe of Anticlockwise is live. The order of the tracks are well-chosen to suit the progression of the mood. The mix is also warm. It’s like after every song, you can hear the audience applauding. Tod the Ranter is another favorite because of the steady hypnotic rhythm. A Fable from Aigge falls into the sean nos style of singing. It shows how flexible the voice of Burbridge is. It also displays the eclecticism of this album.
Molloy goes back to the times when Ireland was struggling for independence. This reminds me of a lot of songs by Planxty in their earlier albums. River is a foot tapper. I love the beat and the way these fiddles create a sort of wispy cloak of sound that transports you into a beautiful and dreamy place. it is true that the word save the best for last applies to great albums. All In Your Name closes Anticlockwise with such intensity that I felt my neurons were being assaulted by blue lightning.
Anticlockwise is a sensual trickster of an album. A playful devil with an immaculate smile. Beautifully conceived, exquisitely performed by the musicians involved and yes….embellished by artistry of Nick Burbridge.
I have listened to many live recordings including mainstream albums but once in a while something pops up and takes the cake. I am talking about the new album by Rant Maggie Rant recorded live. They say good things come in minimalist packages. Don’t let the serene green CD package fool you. The album is packed with the most endearing Celtic tracks.
Big kudos to the sound engineer who recorded this performance because it captures the energy and the nuance of the band. They play so tightly and perfectly that you would wonder if this is really a live recording. Only when you hear the enthusiastic cheering of the audience then you know it’s really live. The strong points of Rant Maggie Rant are their rhythms, vocal presentation and arrangements. I think I play this CD at least three times a day starting in the morning when I wake up because it is really a perfect album to greet the day. There’s this huge positive vibe that wraps itself around you.
I love the Irish Gaelic track Cunla because I’ve heard this performed by other bands before but RMR has given it a different twist! All the tracks are feet jerkers because of their energetic style. Gooseberry Bush did it for me. The fiddling is as delicious as ripe apples. I also love their slower moments like Bachelor’s Hall. Glen Dias has that Celticky vocals ( that’s how I call singers with that distinctive type of singing voice filed under Iarla Ó Lionáird, Loreena McKennitt, Connie Dover, Moya Brennan, Luka Bloom and other singers). Lindsay Schindler always shines in reels and jigs like the breath-taking Kitchen Set. As for the guitar of Barry James Payne, all I can say is : his guitar playing is always luminous, wispy and stunning.
The special guests can also hold their own like Loretto Reid’s fantastic tin whistle, Steve Clarke’s grooves and the foot stumping percussion of Graham Hargrove. I warn you. This album is addictive. Potent and magical stuff there. A great way to celebrate Halloween to liven up misty hearts and sleepy heads.
Listen to my Celtic Music Hour this Saturday, 4 to 5 pm German time because I will be playing a few tracks from the album. That’s on www.radiohappy.eu and the recorded stream will become my podcast a day or two later for you to listen again.
funding project in which one of them I decided to post here. Their approach to music is eclectic, blending traditional Breton sounds and other World influences. The music is lively, optimistic and evokes the landscapes of Brittany.
Celtic Music Fan 