Customer Reviews

All Things Considered

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own nearly 40 Irish CDs including some Irish imports that you can't get so easily here. What impresses me with Danu is the wonderful sense of "flow" with each rhythmic pulse that puts you at ease. Check out track 8 if you like fabulous unison playing. This album was my first choice, but to be sure, that nice flow can be found in all their work.

Solidly traditional material, tailormade for those who long for the glory days of Planxty or the Clancy Brothers. Indeed, the great Liam Clancy seems to have been an early patron of the group, and this album was recorded at his studio in Waterford. Singer Ciaran O Gealbhain certainly has the goods -- despite his youth, he has that lovely, old-man throatiness that makes Andy Irvine and the Clancys so lovely to listen to. The band also has a light, melodic touch. Great record with a nice mix of songs and tuneful instrumentals... If these young fellows represent the future of Irish trad, then I'm quite happy for the future!

This album is wonderful! Usually when I listen to Irish music, it either happens that I like the sets but am not crazy about the songs/singer or vice versa. With Danu I love both. They do research for their tunes/songs, rather than rely on the same old standards. Ciaran O'Gealbhain obviously has quite an affection for the songs he sings, it comes through in the performance. Also, there is a real album feel to their last two Shanachie albums. Rather than merely a collection of songs/tunes, there is a real feel that each track belongs with the others. All of the guys are excellent musicians and are a total credit to the tradition!!!! I urge all of you unfamiliar with their live performances to go to the Kennedy Center Website and watch the Millenium Stage performance they did January 23rd. Then go see them live.

I saw Danu at the Cambridge Folk Festival a couple of years ago and they were delightfully energetic and intense, not to mention musical masters. They seemed to vibrate on stage, like candles in a wind. Their arrangements and solos are delightful. If you like celtic music, this could easliy deserve to be in your collection. Their flautist is to die for.

Rush to buy this new CD from Danu. Check our their website (Danu.net) to find out where they will be playing and GO hear them in person if you can. The musicians are extremely talented- their music complicated and passionate- and in person they are charming and charismatic. They combine traditional songs with ones they have written in tradtional style. All the musicians: flute, fiddle, guitars, bodhran are incredible and they sound great together. A must buy.

Folks, it doesn't get any better than this! Danu is what the other trad bands are trying to be. Imagine the skill of the Chieftains (and a similarly traditional repertoire), then add youth and energy and a voice that will give you goosebumps!They also have the best bodhran player I've ever heard. Their ensemble playing is crisp and precise, spirited and lively. Their choice of material includes many traditional tunes you won't have heard before, very refreshing (how many times can you listen to "Drowsy Maggie" before you get fed up?)

Regarding the previous reviews, I wholeheartedly echo the folks who say GO SEE DANU LIVE. Not to be missed, what a show! But I must disagree with the person who said Ciaran O Gealbhain has "old-man roughness" to his voice. Not at all. Gorgeous, clear, choir-boy-grown-up is more like it. Can bring a room of rowdy intoxicated people to complete silence. Stunning.

This is the CD to give as a gift to friends who are not familiar with Irish music. You'll have instant converts after one listen!

Failte! (Greetings). I am very happy to see the McKennas involved in such productions as Danu. This is a young group of musicians that are true to their Irish roots with accoustic instruments. The strongest trait is the team work demonstrated in two or three instrument leads ( Flute, Button Accordian, Fiddle, Ullieann Pipes), counterpoint Bouzouki, Mandola, Guitar), all of which is energized through the reels with Bodhran. The album takes you through toe tapping with the fast instrumentals to karoake crying in your stout time with vocals. Donnchadh Gough is excellent on Irish Drum, and is the driving pace setter through the reels. In recent performances, Donnchadh has had a new deep voiced, Brendan White bodhran that adds to his excellent playing. Tom Doorley's excellent flute playing gives me fond memories of Joe McKenna's playing over more than two decades. If your taste is the real, legitimate Irish, you need to have all three Danu CD's. If the first album was a testament to the potential of a young, new group, their third album is a testament to that potential being realized. They have their own wonderful website with a "fun" page poking fun at themselves. Don't miss the photo of the button accordian player in the bubble bath tub! If the Danu members can stick together and keep playing like this, I will be happy to buy all of their future albums. Ceol de Erin go bragh! (Music of Ireland forever!)

As a long time lover of Celtic music, from The Clancy Bros, to The Dubliners, to The Bothy Band and on and on, and an amateur folk muso for 40+ years, Danu must be one of the best groups of this genre I've heard. Their arrangements are superb - gentle, full and rich, their instrumentation sensational, I could go on... (and I haven't got shares in their distillery). If you're an Irish music afficionado you will not be disappointed. I just wish they'd come out to my part of the world !!!

This album is wonderful! Usually when I listen to Irish music, it either happens that I like the sets but am not crazy about the songs/singer or vice versa. With Danu I love both. They do research for their tunes/songs, rather than rely on the same old standards. Ciaran O'Gealbhain obviously has quite an affection for the songs he sings, it comes through in the performance. Also, there is a real album feel to their last two Shanachie albums. Rather than merely a collection of songs/tunes, there is a real feel that each track belongs with the others. All of the guys are excellent musicians and are a total credit to the tradition! I urge all of you unfamiliar with their live performances to go to the Kennedy Center Website and watch the Millenium Stage performance they did January 23rd. Then go see them live.

i first heard this group on 'thistle and shamrock,' and, as other reviewers, was entranced with Ciaran O'Gealbhan's voice and delivery. but i have to say that i am slightly disappointed with the disc as a whole.

i, too, much prefer acoustic celt. being scotch-irish, i love both the gaelic traditions, as well as the lowland songs of scotland, and have listened to groups from both countries since the clancy bothers, planxty, clannad, the corries when they were four, jean redpath, silly wizard and the tannahill weavers (etc, etc, etc). while danu certainly has the musical chops to challenge those groups, to me they, at least on this album, lack the spirited edge and excitement that the tannies, for instance and especially, can produce. this is, of course, a matter of taste, but i would love to hear this group after a few jars to find out if they can jam.