Iona [Import]

Iona | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Open Sky UK
• ASIN: B00009YNBZ
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #236,621 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Turning Tide

2. Flight of the Wild Goose

3. The Island

4. White Sands

5. Dancing on the Wall

6. A'Machair

7. Vision of Naran

8. Beijing

9. Lona

10. Trilogy

11. Here I Stand

12. Columcille

Editorial Reviews

Iona's debut album is permeated with the enthusiasm of their discovery of the rich stream of their Celtic Christian heritage and also with the haunting, timeless atmosphere of the islands of Iona and Lindisfarne, to which their pilgrimage took them. Tracks: 1.Turning tide 2.Flight of the wild goose 3.The island 4.White sands 5.Dancing on the wall 6.A'Machair 7.Vision of Naran 8.Beijing 9.Iona 10.Trilogy 11.Here i stand 12.Columcille

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sorry, guys, but these are horrible remixes!, December 29, 2009

By 

Jason Goodwin (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Iona (Audio CD)

I received this CD as a Christmas present just a few days ago, thinking that it was a re-release of the original album that I heard when I was stationed in Germany in 1990. Oh, was I sadly mistaken. They tweaked their music so much that there is very little resemblance between their original production and what was on this CD. For instance, when I first heard the musical intro to "Vision of Naran" on the original release, it sounded very melodic and it blended well with the rest of the song. I can't say that about the remix. It sounds like they fused in Troy Donockley's Uillean pipes right at the intro of that song, which made it resonate like a cacophony of fingernails on a chalkboard.

In all honesty, I hate to sound critical of Iona, given the eclectic musical talent that they possess. However, as we would say in America, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", and it looks like Iona took their self-titled debut album from 1990 and did not leave it as it was when they re-released it under their Open Sky label.

If any serious Iona fan remembers what the original self-titled debut album sounded like, then you'll know that if you buy this CD, you will be in for a rude awakening.

4.0 out of 5 stars Iona - Impressive Debut, July 9, 2010

By 

Steven Sly (Kalamazoo, MI United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Iona (Audio CD)

Iona made their debut on to the world stage with this their first album in 1990. The original band was a trio comprised of Dave Bainbridge, Joanna Hogg, and Dave Fitzgerald. The three were augmented on this album by about a half dozen session players, one of whom, Troy Donnockley would eventually become a member of the band as well. The album contains several tracks that are still a part of the band's live show 20 years later including the killer instrumental "Flight Of The Wild Goose". Iona albums tend to have some filler to go along with the meat, but this one seems to be pretty lean all the way through. Hogg's vocals are pristine and Bainbridge's guitar soars on the rocking stuff like "Trilogy" and caress on the acoustic selections like "Beijing". I really like this album a lot and would rank it right near the top of the Iona catalogue.

5.0 out of 5 stars Startlingly Good Music, January 22, 2010

By 

Craig (Usually on the East coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Iona (Audio CD)

This is the debut album of the Celtic Progressive band by the same name. Categorizing or describing this album, like the group itself, is a challenge. Their music, amply demonstrated here, combines a remarkable diversity of genres, including Celtic folk, Jazz, progressive rock, etc. The use of instruments is likewise remarkable, including things like uilleann pipes, synthesizers and violins, all brought together into incredible, stunning harmony. The harmony certainly also includes the lead singer, Joanne Hogg, whose voice ranges from devastatingly powerful to almost transparent, and has an unusually great texture and tone for rock, but without being at all harsh or cold.

The album itself is a masterpiece in its genre. It is unabashedly progressive rock, featuring several long instrumental tracks with soaring guitar riffs, jazz saxophone leads, etc. But it has a compelling, cinematic power. For lack of a more prosaic way of putting it, the music takes you on a sort of epic journey through a story cast in sound. The instrumentation is powerful and etherial, and perfectly complemented by the vocals. In contrast to a lot of rock, the vocals and don't overpower the instruments, instead they all manage to work together to produce a cohesive whole. As is often the case with progressive rock, listening to some 30-second Amazon samples probably won't due the music justice--especially with an album like this. So while it may give a sense of the kinds of instrumentation they use, it probably won't give a good picture of the album itself.

Generally, I'd strongly recommend this album. I might say Iona's second album, Book of Kells is somewhat better, but is quite a bit less accessible. If you're not already a fan of Iona, I'd start with this album, and afterward try Book of Kells.