Celtic Music

While I did not purchase the volume 2(since the preview tracks were not enjoyable), I think this volume may be the best or next best in the series. The first Very Special Christmas album was a great album. It has almost all classic rock Christmas songs that have become staples every Christmas. And some would say they are overplayed. But this volume has some truly great renditions of some traditional songs as well as some even better original tracks that you may not have heard or get to on the local FM stations. Among the traditionals are Sting's "I Saw Three Ships", Natalie Merchant's "Children Go Where I send the, And A decent Sheryl Crow's "Blue Christmas". Most notable among the new tracks are Smashing Pumpkins' "Christmastime", Blues Travelers' "Christmas" , And the Christmas Allstars' "Santa Baby". Enyas rendition of Silent Night is fair. And Mary J. Blige's Christmas in the City" would be a must for those living in New York or those that just love the city of New York. While I didn't really care for the No Doubt original "Oi to the World", it might be just what the ex punk rocker turned parent might like to play as an alternative to the Christmas fluff. I am a fan of No Doubt, but I didn't care for this one much. Thats not to say its unlikable. Its just not my cup of tea. As for the other songs, I didn't care for them much. Lets see. That's 9 noteworthy songs with 6 that I found very enjoyable. But listen to the previews and judge for yourself. But if you are looking on adding some rock/alternative/rap sung songs to you christmas collection, I would definitely say buy it. This is a good addition to the first volume.

Order received in a timely manner, well packaged and in good condtition.

Thank you.

Several very good songs and many forgettable ones. I enjoyed songs from Sting, Natalie Merchant, No Doubt, and Chris Cornell...and found myself skipping the others to listen to the favorites.

This cd is very good and should be in anybody collection

This is obviously the third volume in the highly successful Very Special Christmas series. It came out in 1997 and most of the performers here are ones that were popular at that time. Most of the performances are good, with nothing being flat out terrible, which is always a bonus. Which ones you like best will depend on your taste of course. Personally, I think I like the songs by Sting, Natalie Merchant, No Doubt and Chris Cornell the best. But that's just me, you might like some of the others better.

I am a big Dropkick Murphys fan. So, I was excecting something along those lines. Though, I do like Black 47 they are nothing like Dropkick. They remind me more of the eirly eighties bands.

Larry Kirwan writes theatrical music both literally and figuratively. Sometimes the epic nature of the music comes close to bombast, sometimes the drama veers toward melodramatic, and sometimes his melodic reach exceeds his vocal grasp.

But what songs.

My criterion for 5 stars is that every track has to be memorable. This disk nails it. One is tempted to go track by track to describe the music. As others have indicated, this is a band with disparate roots and influences; its central tendency sounds something like what might have happened if Springsteen grew up in Wexford listening to traditional Irish music instead of R&R and R&B. Like Springsteen at his best, not everything is pedal-to-the-metal; Black 47's music encompasses a range of subject matter and emotion, but with a perspective rooted in Kirwan's immigrant alienation and political interests. "Banks of the Hudson" is what might happen if a traditional murder ballad crashed into Manhattan complete with Geoff Blythe doing his best Clarence Clemmons imitation; "Funky Ceili" is a joyful celebration of dissoluteness; "James Connolly" an anthemic celebration of the Irish Marxist revolutionary; the quiet "Fanatic Heart" is both plaintive and chilling; and "Living in America" is the band's piece de resistance -- an evocation of the slights and hopes of immigrant men and women in America. Like I said it is tempting to review each track.

It would be easy to fall flat on your face trying to pull this off -- the politics degenerating into sloganeering, the passion into cheap sentimentality, and the music into some kind of ersatz folk hydrid. Kirman's self-deprecating humor (I once saw him perform a song about his girlfriend leaving him "for another woman" while he was with the Major Thinkers, an earlier band) saves him lyrically, and relentless live performance has honed the band musically.

As a final note: "Fire of Freedom" is not Black 47's first CD. The band put out an eponymous CD two years earlier. Many of the songs are the same as "Fire of Freedom" though there are four that are not on subsequent disks. The production is more spare, and I actually prefer some of the performances to the more cluttered productions on "Fire of Freedom." If you like "Fire of Freedom" and you come across "Black 47", it could be worthwhile picking it up.

All of Black 47's albums have their strong points, but Fire of Freedom has nothing but strong points. There aren't very many albums I've heard by any artist that sound terrific on the very first listen and stay that way for good. But this is one - from the day I bought it in 1993 (on cassette - remember those?!), every song was catchy and memorable in its own way then and still is now.

If I had to settle on one genre for Black 47, "Irish rock" would have to do. But that's a massive oversimplification, and these guys sound absolutely nothing like U2 or The Pogues. What do they sound like? A mishmash of funk, folk, punk, hip-hop, soul, reggae and straight up rock and roll that almost had to be either horrible or wonderful. Luckily for us, it's the latter. The band's unabashedly militant politics turn up in several of the songs, notably "James Connolly," the title track, and the rather enigmatic "Fanatic Heart." They're also not above co-opting old ballads with new words of their own in "40 Shades of Blue" and "Livin' In America" (set to supercharged arrangements of "Down By The Sally Gardens" and "The Foggy Dew" respectively); folk purists might not like these too much, but they're among my favorites. Most of the others are slice-of-life tales of the modern immigrant experience in various corners of New York, ranging from tragic to hilarious.

Nothing beats seeing these guys live, but this CD is a close runner-up to that.

This is one of the decade's best albums. Every track is memorable, though "James Connolly" and "Fire of Freedom" are the ones that stick with me long after the music stops. This is Black 47 at the top of their game (or at least as good as they get in the studio: Nothing beats them live). A mixture of straight-on rock 'n' roll, with Celtic flavors on some tracks, and reggae beats or hip-hop thrown in occasionally. The musicianship here is incredible at times; the horn section blends with the pipes for some truly inspired sounds.

Look for a CD put out in 1995, called "Keep it Reel," with Seanchai (Chris Byrne from Black 47), Eileen Ivers, and Pat McGuire. Absolutely awesome live recording of Irish hip-hop, and several other genres fused together, with brilliant lyrics by Seanchai. Hard to find.

This album is a little tougher than one might expect from a celtic band. While you can't divorce the celtic influence it is definitely supported by an American twist.

This cd is fun as in the exuberant "Funky Ceili" (a great song, great story, in neo-celtic style,) "40 Shades of Blue" or "Rockin' the Bronx". More often however there is an edgy darkness here whether in detailing Irish history ("James Connolly" or "Black 47") or in the contemporary ("Banks of the Hudson"). Don't expect the Irish Tenors here or even the Chieftains. The beauty of those artists aren't here (although the artistry is). This is more thought-provoking, more raw, more contemporary (lyrically and vocally).

Wonderful CD full of great Celtic music by an amazing Scottish band. The musicians are all equally superbly talented and Karen Matheson's amazing voice rings through each song effortlessly!

Having listened to Irish music for several years now I had bought but not bothered to listen to this particular Scottish band until recently. What a waste of several years! Like so many other reviewers have said I listen to this CD non-stop. I love each and every song and plan on getting more Capercaillie albums.

The cog that really makes Capercaillie work, I believe, is Karen Matheson's vocals. She sings equally well in Gaelic or English although I've read she prefers Gaelic. Her voice is stong and true yet she can put so much emotion into the words that you will be moved whether you understand what she is singing or not.

Of course the other band mambers are as important but I was especially pleased to discover an Irishman among the bunch (Manus Lunny) who's influence in some of the songs is unmistakable. It always helps, too, if an artist like Davy Spillane (Moving Hearts and solo artist) play uilleann pipes on a song or two. Another Irishman (and brother to Manus), Donal Lunny, helped Capercaillie produce an entire album from which songs like the beautiful but haunting "Breisleach (Live)" and the commentary "Waiting for the Wheel to Turn" came from.

"The Whinney Hills Jigs", "Kepplehall/25KTS" and "Dr MacPhail's Reel" are all instrumentals. The songs with English titles (except for "The Tree" and "In Exile") are sung in English and the rest are sung in Gaelic. While I don't know a lick of Gaelic, I still thoroughly enjoy the music and songs. If I ever become motivated to actually learn Gaelic (or at least Irish) I'll probably love this album even more -- if that's possible.

My very favorite songs are "Outlaws" and "Four Stone Walls" not only because of the upbeat music but also for the smart social remarks (and, of course, I can understand the words, LOL). And last, but not least, "Breisleach" for Karen's moving vocals.

Enjoy!

Not so hot. They have so many good tunes in stock, which were not used on this that I wonder what the reason was...this CD does not to me, offer the best of Capercaillie. IMHO

Cha bu mhath leam na h-òrain Shasannach, ach bha iad brèagha fhathast...agus na h-òrain Gàidhlig... ro-bhrèagha... uill, ceart gu leòr, chan urrainn dhaibh ro-bhrèagha a bhith! Chan eil seo gu h-uile rud, gu dearbh, ach tha mi ga mhailteann gu mòr! 'S "Ailein Duinn" as fheàrr leam; rinn Cairean Mhathanach gu h-àlainn leis; 's e Annag Chaimbeul a th'innte! Tuilleadh na Gàidhlige! Cùm a' Ghàidhlig beò!

Tha mi a' moladh an n-obair!

I was pleased overall with this cd--it took awhile to grow on me, since it was sort of "dated" in its sound, and because it is more in the "euro-technopop" category on some songs than true Celtic. However, the traditional stuff is wonderful, and I like their use of other world rhythms blended to create their unique sound. A good buy!

my review is a very true and honest and truthful one.All the songs are a wonderful blend of different sounds, but by the last two songs the album stumbles till it's over.

The concept of bringing together some of the world's greatest artists to sing out for saving the rainforests and world for our children and future generations was great. The powerful songs from Sharon Katz & The Peace Train of South Africa and Luciano Pavarotti were especially rich in textures and inspiring. Highly recommended for its diversity. Even better was the "Crystal Journey" CD by Sharon Katz & The Peace Train released by Gallo with its dynamic rhythms, compelling lyrics and beautiful voices taking you through the joys of South Africa's rainbow nation!

A beautiful blend of folk music and modern flavor. From Pavarotti to Paul Simon, the listener is treated to an eclectic mix of music that is a refreshing break from the pre-pubescent pop/rock sound of today's mainstream music.

This album is not a concert like the title here suggests. They are individual studio tracks with only one being a live recording, and that is the James Taylor track "I bought me a cat".

This album is terrific. It has a very diverse eclectic mix of styles, from old lullabys, to folk, classical and even the National Anthem of South Africa. The main theme running through them all though is children, for children, and a hope for a better world for them. But that does not in any way mean that this is an album for children, although they would enjoy it. This is an album for people, all people. And all proceeds will go towards saving the Earths rainforests. The packaging is great...a cardboard gatefold case with a 32 page book with all lyrics and photos of all the artists.

I was expecting some vocals but overall this CD is a bright, energetic instrumental collection of Celtic music. This group is wonderful! I have since purchased others of their CD's and watch for them to play in my area.

I thought I was buying an album by Flogging Molly titled "Celtic Tribute"
OK my bad but the page is set up in such a way to take you there. BUYER BEWARE. This is the elevator music version of Flogging Molly

For fans of Flogging Molly who also lean towards the traditional. Same great Flogging Molly tunes with a little less "bite" and drive. Molly fans wont be disappointed....definately worth a listen!!

As tributes go this one is aces. Although it is pretty hard to improve on Flogging Molly's music this is a softer more traditional version of some of the fantastic songs Flogging Molly is best known for.

This album could just be the best of the Medicine Woman trilogy; a very lively yet relaxing experience.

Very good!! Upbeat, all the songs are great. No weak link or anything. Lovely soothing and upbeat all at once in all the songs. Panpipes and Spanish guitar masterfully used. No pitiful electric sounds he plays many instruments very well, and records them all in his own home studio. Its Great!!!!

This Medicine Woman was just as good as the first one. Both me and my husband enjoyed it very much. The first time we listened to this CD was a Sunday morning with our coffees and we were quite relaxed just being in the moment!! I am looking forward to purchasing the 3rd in the series.

I have 22 Medwyn Goodall CDs (He's released over 70) so I am a big fan of his music. Medicine Woman II, The Gift was one of the first purchased and is still one of my favorites. The original Medicine Woman is excellent and a New Age classic, but this follow-up is an order of magnitude better. It is hard to imagine that only one person is responsible for all of the music here. Goodall composed, arranged, performed, produced, mixed and mastered this CD. It is guitars, panpipes, and lots of percussion in almost an hour of lively but soothing music that sets you down in the middle of the Central American jungles and then carries you away. Rhythmical and catchy tunes inspired by the ancient Mayan culture expand on the ideas explored in the original Medicine Woman plus introduce some new ones. With touches of male and female choirs and synths in the background, the music has an uplifting mystical quality.

Medwyn Goodall is no stranger to fans of world and new age music. Having released well over 20 albums, this is one of his more appreciated albums. "Medicine Woman II: The Gift" is a follow up to one of Goodall's earlier album release "Medicine Woman" but topples the previous release effortlessly with this relatively perfect collection of songs. One of the amazing factors of this album is that all ten tracks are instrumental pieces as vocals become part of the arrangement and there's not a word that is sung, but the messages and feeling are successfully conveyed through the use of various instruments such as the Spanish Guitar, Bamboo Flute, Mandolin, authentic South American drums along with a host of other instruments.

"Celebration" the opening track sets the mood for the album. It's an uplifting, positive track that sets mind at ease and takes you to a different place. Where you imagine you are standing within an exotic tropical rainforest and the unique sounds only helps to provide you with a more vivid picture. "Invocation Part 2" seamlessly follows through with the positive theme and the rest of the album flows effortlessly from one track to the next. The stand out track would have to be "The Gift", instantly attracting you with it's unique guitar arrangements and it's soothing Enya-like vocals.

Unfortunately, the main downfall of this album is that after listening to the first five tracks, the next five seems like a semi-altered collection of the first five tracks and you get the idea that no new grounds are broken into or explored and you get the feeling that you've heard it all before. As a whole, this album seems relatively complete even if it was released only with the first five tracks with "The Gift" being a severely major reason for purchasing the album itself. Some of Goodall's other releases are not as easily satisfying on the ear as this release but this is definitely the one that is set to please. The album actually is a mediocre 55 plus minutes but the first 28 minutes or so should do the job at setting your mind at ease.

Track listing:
1. Celebration 6.43
2. Invocation part 2 5.46
3. Jungle Heart 5.43
4. Orchid Potion 5.24
5. The Gift 6.24
6. Talking To The Sun 5.24
7. Sacred Ground 4.56
8. After The Rains 5.31
9. Emerald - Mayan Relic 7.00
10. The Gift (Single Version) 3.33

Very catchy Irish pub songs. Excellent sound quality (especially considering the songs have been taken and reformatted from tapes.) Parents beware, though: there is some "language;" song 11 (The Jolly Tinker) is very suggestive; and song 14 (Home Boys Home) isn't appropriate for youngsters. The only thing that bugged me was the live audience sounds towards and at the end of song 6 (Beer, Beer, Beer.) Anyway, there isn't a song on this CD that I don't like! Buy this.

This is the best album I have in the spirit of Irish pub or Drinking songs. I recomend this with all my heart being I am part Irish!!!

My husband and I just love this CD. We've played it for all our friends and now I think they all own copies. We went out the other night to a pub and heard one of the songs being played, it was great to sing along to. I would highly recommend it!!

What a great album for those of us purists, even if we aren't Irish. Irish Pub Songs is the kind of music you put on when having a group of friends over for the world's greatest beverage. My favorite song is Beer, Beer, Beer- everybody sing along. I recommend this album for those of you who enjoy a good barley pop and festive drinking music.

I love to listen to Celtic music while I'm riding though the mountains and I did just that when coming back from Maryland recently. I enjoyed this album. There are some I like better and some not as much, but all in all this is a good introduction to Scottish music.

This is the first time that I have purchased any Scottish Folk Music and I must report my suprise and pleasurte gained while listening to a very professionally sung and produced album.I will certainly keep my eye out for some more of the same.

These Rough Guide CDs make for excellent introductions to music from cultures and places all over the world. Few places offer the musical depth of tradition as Scotland, of course, and this CD features a plethora of great music blending the old with the new of that land. I should point out that I know virtually nothing about Scottish music, so I really can't do much in the way of putting the featured artists in a proper context; the best I can do is offer my impressions of the nineteen tracks in question.

There is a lot of variety packed into this 70-some minute CD; if you think Scottish music means bagpipes and more bagpipes, you know even less about it than I do. Certainly, you'll get a little bagpipe music here, but you'll also hear some fantastic guitar, fiddle, harp, pipes, whistles, and a lot of other instruments I can hardly pronounce, let alone describe adequately.

I was familiar with the name, if not the music, of one featured artist: Capercaillie, one of the most prominent Gaelic bands out there; not only is the group represented here with The Tree, their famed singer Karen Matheson contributes an impressive Gaelic tune called Rithill Aill. This brings up an obvious point: you will hear a lot more Gaelic than English vocals on this album; Gaelic truly is a more beautiful, musically emotive language; the drawback, of course, is that few of us understand any of the words. By my count, only three of these tunes feature English vocals. Silly Wizard leads the way in the English vocals department, as far as I'm concerned, with a live recording of The Queen of Argyll, my favorite track on the album. Wolfstone isn't far behind them, though, imparting a wonderfully full and busy sound to their track Heart and Soul. Then there is Dirty Old Town by the late Ewan MacColl, one of the most important and influential figures in the preservation and perpetuation of British folk music.

Mac-Talla delivers arguably the most poignant song on the album with Griogal Cridhe, a Gaelic lament and lullaby dating all the way back to 1570 (yes, 1570). Mac-Talla's Christine Primrose also offers a beautiful Gaelic song of her own, Tha M'Eudail Is M'Aighear 'S Mo Grandh (a song which probably dates back to the 18th century). Then there's the much more energetic 'S Gann Gunn Dirich Mi Chaoidh from folk revival band Ossian.

All of the remaining tracks, if I'm not mistaken, are instrumentals. I'm not a big fan of instrumentals, but there are some really impressive ones on this album, ranging from the evocative to the frenetic. You've got the haunting pipes of Rory Campbell & Malcolm Stitt, an unusually pleasing waltz from Fiddlers Five, harp-playing at its finest from Alison Kinnaird on The Crags of Ailsa/Staffa's Shore, fiddle mastery at the hands of Jonny Hardie & Gavin Marwick, and amazing reels from the likes of Tannahill Weavers, Ross Kennedy & Archie McAllister, and Aly Bain and his former teacher Tom Anderson. Whirligig blends the traditional and the modern in fine fashion with The Harper/Lady Catherine Ogle, and John D. Burgess, the "King of Highland Pipers," closes out the album with the incomparable bagpipe strains of The Swallow-Tailed Coat/Turf Lodge.

This CD represents only a tiny dip in the immense pool of Scottish music, but it definitely does do a wonderful job showcasing the variety and unique sounds of a land where music seems to be a vital if not essential part of life.

I teach K-8 music, and have found a way to play this CD in nearly all of my classes. Regardless of their tastes, ("I only listen to rap," for example) the kids can't help bopping their heads and even asking, "can we dance to this?" My own copy spent a month in my mother's car before I got her own. Although the music on this CD varies from track to track, the quality does not. I highly recommend this CD to anyone.

This compilation goes beyond sensational. As the title implies, the record gives a great "rough guide" or starting point to one of Europe's strongest living musical traditions. I have always loved various artist albums because of their variety, and how they allow you the opportunity to explore and hear the different styles of many performers. From the opening guitar and fiddle of Battlefield Band, through the final "drones" of John Burgess's highland pipes, you will be energized with a variety in song and dance. I have many favorites, but my top three would include: Track 7, where Rory Campbell (low whistle) and Malcolm Stitt (guitar) both from the group Deaf Shepherd play a mysterious, haunting sort of jig. Added to this, at certain intervals, is just the right amount of electronic vibrations to give it an eye-opening "eerie" feeling. On track 13, Johnny Hardie (fiddle) from Old Blind Dogs, and Gavin Marwick (fiddle, guitar and mandolin) from The Iron Horse put on a 3-part show. It begins with a "quiet" fiddle/guitar duet, which builds in velocity (but not intensity) in part two. By the time the final set arrives, you won't be able to stop the toe-tapping due to the slightly increased tempo and volume. What makes this a nice piece, is the predominant fiddle does not overshadow the other instruments, but compliments them. Track 14, makes me feel like I am being entertained in a 16th century castle. Played by twin sisters on recorders, it begins with a nicely plucked mandolin solo by Steve Lawrence (Iron Horse). He is joined by the recorders, which materializes into a sweet, melodic Renaissance aire. Then, at 1:45 into the piece, all of a sudden Steve adds percussion to the mix. This, along with a harder driven guitar surrounding the recorders, builds enough momentum (puh rum pum pum)for a rousing finish.

Again, this is a great way to start a collection of Scottish folk music, or explore new territories. It is also an exceptional value... with approximately 70 minutes of recording time.