Avalon Rising

Avalon Rising | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Flowinglass Music
• ASIN: B000005D1Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,535 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent New Celtic/Medieval/Rock Album!, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Avalon Rising (Audio CD)

Avalon Rising is a great Oakland-based band who do music that ranges from Celtic to rock, and home to Medieval via the southern route. They have their first CD out -- I am listening to it as I write these words. Singer Margaret Davis has style and taste not unlike Loreena McKennitt's. The five members play a generous selection of conventional instruments, both electric and manual, plus Celtic harp, recorders, mandolin, and a large collection of interesting percussive devices, including a very mean bodhran. All do vocals. The music is full of rhythm and movement. Much of it is composition or arrangement by one band member or another. Let me mention some of the cuts. The rendition of "The Great Selkie" is marvelous -- splashing harp and thrumming bodhran wonderfully evoke the ebb and flow of surf; the first time I heard this one live I involuntarily looked down to be sure my feet weren't getting wet. "Andray Soulet", an arrangement of a 15th-century composition, seems a French round with a hint of North African rhythm, and "Contre le Tens/Toda Cousa" presents two 13th-century works with voice and instruments. "Dark Moon Circle", a get-up-and-dance song, begs for a sweetly-scented bonfire on a wild and glimmering night, while "God Walks Among Us" addresses religious themes in a more traditional style. The next-to-last title, "Reborn", is a contemporary love song with a fast beat. All in all, great stuff!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Variety of Celtic-tinged Folk, March 20, 2001

By 

A. Lee (L.A., CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Avalon Rising (Audio CD)

There's something for everyone here--Songs about the Sea, about highwaymen, about gods and paradise. Both traditional songs and original music and lyrics. All performed by very nice mix of strong and individualistic vocalists accompanied by a variety of instruments. I can listen to this CD for hours, even days at a time, as it both soothes and relaxes and then excites and makes me dream of adventures and other lands. If you like any element of what I've mentioned (folk, celtic music, traditional, original compositions, old and new instruments, great vocals, rousing ballads, slightly new-agey ethereal ballads), you'll like this CD. I also like: Loreena McKennitt, Clannad, Peter Murphy, The Cure, Oingo Boingo, Phantom of the Opera...