The Best of Altan

Altan

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 21, 1997)
• Original Release Date: January 21, 1997
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Green Linnet
• ASIN: B000005CQH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,521 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
It's hard to qualify what "best of" could mean in the case of a band as prolific as Altan. This was a record label collection (the best of the Green Linnet years) and it is just that from Frankie Kennedy's slow reel, "The Sunset," through the jigs, reels and airs that they play so well. Mairead Ni Mhaoinaigh on fiddle also supplies their trademark voice, Ciaran Tourish and Paul O'Shaughnessy are on fiddles as well, Frankie Kennedy is on flute plus various instruments by Ciaran Curran, Mark Kelly and Daithi Sproule. As a bonus there is a second CD, a live recording taken from the soundboard of a 1989 concert. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than I Expected, March 23, 2000

By	Kenneth French (Montclair, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm an Irish music snob and tend to shun any band that gets too much attention. So I avoided Altan for a long time until I finally picked up this collection. I couldn't have been more wrong about them. Traditional and high-spirited without being too pop. Highly recommended.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They send you back to better times., March 6, 1999

By A Customer

I'm knew to the celtic world and have been diving into buying my music without even knowing what they sound like or whether I'll like them or not. This one I got lucky. I really like this group and album. It took me a few listens to appreciate them but when I did I really did. If your anything like me (and are new to the celtic world) then I recommend this one. It'll make you wanta search for other celtic groups. Altan changes it around pretty well Their instrumentals sound like "blue grass" (Where do you think blue grass got it's roots?) and the singing it'll either make you feel like dancing a jig or holding your love one in your arm. It's never depressing though only either beautifully done or knee slapping good. Give it a shot.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible Purchase, September 26, 2000

By	Jason (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

I bought this recording having done very little research on the group, but I knew enough about them to know that what I was getting myself into was special. This quintet has the unbelievable ability to alternate between any style of music: love songs sung in gaelic, mazurkas, ballads, vocals, instrumentals-- they do it all. Another pleasant surprise which is not printed on the case is that the recording comes with a bonus live CD that contains another 7 or 8 songs. As an enthusiast of the sound of "live" music, I was thrilled with the bonus CD. I can listen to this CD no matter what mood I am in, and the end result is always the same: pure happiness.