It has been quite a few weeks since I last wrote anything in this blog. The usual end of the year things at work, Christmas planning, Christmas rest and so on.... No time really to listen to new music; The Outside Track’s and Còig’s great new Christmas albums notwithstanding, of course. And, surprise surprise, I … Continue reading A look back to last summer…
Author: celtbritfolkfan
Xmas Album(s) Review / Còig: Carols & Carols Too
Carols Too by Canada’s fabulous Celtic folkers Còig is a sequel to their 2015 Carols - at least the title of the album lets us use that word. Since this blog didn’t exist in 2015, a few words on their previous Xmas album. Carols quickly found its way to my ”best Xmas albums” list and … Continue reading Xmas Album(s) Review / Còig: Carols & Carols Too
Xmas Album Review / Kate Rusby: Holly Head
Kate Rusby must be THE Christmas fan in the entire British-Scottish-Irish folk scene. This is her third seasonal album, and she’s been busy with them, too: The Frost Is All Over came in 2015, Angels And Men in 2017 and now this. Looking forward to 2021 already 😉 Or perhaps she’s been doing a Christmas … Continue reading Xmas Album Review / Kate Rusby: Holly Head
Xmas Album Review / The Outside Track: The Christmas Star
Confession: I have nothing against Christmas music - when the music is not godawful, that is. I’m actually quite a Xmas-friendly guy, so any seasonal album that carries the honest spirit and is musically decent is ok with me. And then there are the *really* good modern Xmas albums, most of them by women: Aimee … Continue reading Xmas Album Review / The Outside Track: The Christmas Star
Quick Take Album Review / Crawford, Farrell, Doocey: Music And Mischief
Just a quick a very and non-analytical note on an album. Music & Mischief by the excellent Irish musicians Kevin Crawford, Colin Farrell and Patrick Doocey is brim full of the most delightful and spirited trad I have heard in a while! There’s no attempt to upgrade or modernize the material in any notable way … Continue reading Quick Take Album Review / Crawford, Farrell, Doocey: Music And Mischief
Better-late-than-never Reviews 2×2: Grey & Peach, Macfarlane & Henderson
2x2 = two albums, both with two musicians and lots of the deceptively simple beauty I love in this music. I wasn’t properly awake when these were released earlier this year but, again, better late… The mesmerizing Air Iomall (On the Edge) by Charlie Grey & Joseph Peach is paired with a film of the … Continue reading Better-late-than-never Reviews 2×2: Grey & Peach, Macfarlane & Henderson
Album Review / Jarlath Henderson: Raw
I have to admit piper-composer and occasional singer Jarlath Henderson's previous solo album from a few years ago, Hearts Broken, Heads Turned, was not my favorite. The electronics layer in the music was a bit overpowering for my taste and the music stayed at an arm's lenght from me. He is such a brilliant musician … Continue reading Album Review / Jarlath Henderson: Raw
Quick Take album reviews: An Irish double take
Quick takes on two very, very nice Irish albums, one quite recent and the other from 2018. Kyle Macaulay and Nicole Ní Dhubhshláine’s Barra Taoide is brim full of Irish trad and, I believe, some original stuff as well. His string instruments and her whistles and flutes are complemented by a very good band, with … Continue reading Quick Take album reviews: An Irish double take
A better-late-than-never review / Lúnasa: CAS
Somehow I let this slip by last year... I started this blog early this year and, admitted, was not systematically and obsessively checking out new releases before that. So it seems in those days even a release from a very major band like Lúnasa could sneak behind me without li’l ol’ me noticing anything - … Continue reading A better-late-than-never review / Lúnasa: CAS
Album Review / RANT: The Portage
"A stark, honest recording." That's how the core quality of RANT’s third outing is described on RANT's Bandcamp site. It may be a slightly surprising choice of words for music that's very controlled, touching on modern classical in some places, played by a quartet of Scotland's finest (Bethany Reid, Anna Massie, Jenna Reid and Lauren … Continue reading Album Review / RANT: The Portage
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