52 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good variety on this CD, but there are flaws, September 13, 2002
This review is from: Celtic Moods: A Celtic Companion to Pure Moods (Audio CD)
I have been a fan of the Pure Moods series since the first CD (in fact, I'm counting the days until "Pure Moods IV" is released), and I've loved Celtic music all my life. Consequently, I leapt at the opportunity to buy a "Celtic Moods" CD. However, the Pure Moods CD's are well-known for their wide variety of songs, and I did have an apprehension that the songs on this CD would all sound very similar to each other, since all the songs are one type: Celtic.
But I was pleasantly surprised; one Celtic song sounds very different from another. Some are upbeat and sound like Riverdance, while others are slower and yet still have a sense of Celtic mysticism in either the lyrics or instruments. And I used to think that all Celtic songs were played on old-fashioned instruments, but some here make excellent use of modern drum sets and even electric guitars. This CD is not without a few sore spots, however. Here is my report card for each song:
1. "Overture"--Carter Burwell. The theme song for the 1994 film "Rob Roy" is a romantic flute and string song followed by a European chant with a bouncy drum beat. A good introduction, but it does get a bit repetitive. Grade: A-
2. "Theme From Harry's Game"--Clannad. You've probably heard this song before. It's a beautiful chant, with haunting vocals and music. It could've been just a bit longer, though. Grade: A
3. "Samain Night"--Loreena McKennitt. Another slow song, featuring Loreena McKennitt's ethereal vocals and a dreamy string harmony. Very nice. Grade: A
4. "Only a Woman's Heart"--Eleanor McEvoy. This ballad makes a good use of strings and drums, combined with Eleanor McEvoy's soft vocals. And although the lyrics sound like those in a pop song, they too have a feeling of Celtic mysticism to them. Grade: A-
5. "Strange Boat"--The Waterboys. I like the violin, guitar, and piano in this song. But the vocals, drums, and especially the harmonica make it sound more like a country song. Grade: B
6. "Invisible to You"--Mary Coughlan. Similar to "Only a Woman's Heart", but not as good. The lyrics are overly poppy, and the music doesn't have much "Celtic" to speak of. The vocals are low and quite pleasant, but they don't have same Celtic feeling that was present in "Only a Woman's Heart". Grade: B-
7. "The Call to Dance Medley"--Leahy. The first Riverdance-like song on this CD is one of its greatest moments. It starts off quiet, with a distant but catchy drum beat in the background, then it really gets upbeat with a lively string melody and a terrifically fabricated modern drum beat. My one caveat is that near the end it does get a bit faster than it needs to. Grade: A
8. "The Gaelic Reels"--Capercaillie. Another song from "Rob Roy", this is a Riverdance-like song with a string and woodwind melody that plays for a full minute without rest. The hand claps make this song even catchier, although the song is pretty short. Grade: A
9. "Sleepy Maggie"--Ashley MacIsaac. This is a modern arrangement of a traditional European song, and the results are fantastic. It features a marvelous modern drum beat integrated superbly with a robust string harmony and a vigorous chant. I can't turn on the CD without listening to this song at least 3 times in a row. Grade: A+
10. "The Crib of Perches"--Matt Maloy. A very ordinary song, with just a single continuous flute melody and a guitar in the background, both of which get faster as the song goes on. Sounds nice, but has nothing in it that makes you want to listen it over and over again. Grade: B
11. "Blackbird"--Sharon Shannon. A happy song with a melody that sounds like a mouth organ, and with a guitar and piano in the background. Doesn't sound bad, but it gets a bit tiresome, and I think it's too jazzy to be considered "Celtic" in my book. Grade: B
12. "Heroine"--Sinead O'Connor. A great song, featuring Sinead O'Connor's searing vocals and enchanting lyrics. It's also one of the most modern songs on the CD, with electric guitars and contermporary drums, but the eerie harmonies continue to give the song a Celtic feel. Grade: A
13. "No Frontier"--Mary Black. This song sounds a bit like a French folk song, with interesting lyrics. A pleasant listen, except for the somewhat annyoing vocals. Grade: B
14. "The Island"--Paul Brady. BLAH! I learned to like most of the songs on this CD after a while, but this song is an absolute dud. Wimpy vocals, pointless lyrics, and no music except a very dissonant piano harmony that I could improvise in one 20-minute sitting. Not good. Grade: F
15. "Caide Sin Don Te Sin?"--Altan. A simple but very pleasant song, with a pretty chant and guitar melody. Could've been a little longer, but quite good as it is. Grade: A-
16. "Ride On"--Christy Moore. The guitar and strings make a more-than-passable harmony, but I find the vocals to be unimpressive and the lyrics to be overly depressing. Again, a song that doesn't sound bad, but doesn't have anything in it that really makes me want to listen to it over and over again. Grade: B-
17. "Woodbrook"--Micheal O'Suilleabhain. A delicate piano song with a lyrical string accompaniment. Makes a lovely conclusion. Grade: A
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