The Irishy Girl

Kate Chadbourne | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 17, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Realms of Silver Music
• ASIN: B000LPR1ME
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #725,591 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Kate Chadbourne teaches Irish studies at Harvard University and records as a singer and multi-instrumentalist (harp, piano, flute, and whistle). The Irishy Girl, her second solo CD, is a collection of favorite traditional songs that she s picked up along the way, half in English and half in Irish Gaelic. Chadbourne sings with an honest soprano voice, and her arrangements of tracks like the delicate courting song Dúlamán and the old music-hall chestnut, Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms are smooth and tasteful. In addition to her own array of instruments, she's joined by three fine Boston-area musicians, fiddler Séamus Connolly, guitarist Matt Heaton, and cellist Valerie Thompson. --Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen

Review

A woman's voice in perfect Celtic-style soprano, singing the old traditional songs, sometimes in Gaelic and sometimes English, resting on a bed of lush, almost New Agey piano, harp, and low whistle. I could say this more diplomatically, I suppose: this typically isn't my kind of album. But guess what: Kate Chadbourne knows what she s doing, and she's done it exceptionally well here. Chadbourne teaches Irish language and folklore at Harvard, where she earned her doctorate in Celtic languages and literatures. She may sound like an academic, but her singing voice and stylistic inflection are surprisingly good. More surprising is that she's also the one playing the harp, piano, Irish flute, and whistle throughout - faultlessly. This is a really pleasing album and Chadbourne's voice is nearly always on pitch, ranging from very fluid and pretty to full of gusto, as the song requires. She's not afraid to give it the old Celtic yodel - but always tastefully and never overdone as is the tendency of many a would-be Irish singer. She has great rhythm, as well; you'll hear an example of her great sense of lift in the song Dúlamán. Overall, she makes great song choices so it's a great album from start to finish. Matt Heaton adds bodhrán and guitar to the album, while Séamus Connolly joins the fray for a set of jigs mid-CD, and Valerie Thompson plays cello. --Susan Gedutis Lindsay, Boston Irish Reporter

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Henry Joy" astounds!, January 4, 2007

By 

Jude Stull "aspect_of_reality" (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Irishy Girl (Audio CD)

The song Henry Joy is truly enchanting and gripping.

For more than a moment, Kate suspends time as she weaves, to her own brand of beautiful music, the poignant story of this protestant maverick who stood out for the cause of Justice.

With this song and others, Kate displays poetic faith in and earnest yearning for the mystical and better Worlds, perhaps accessible by us through healing, justice, insight, empathy, and political consensus, she also sings of.

If you haven't heard it, I strongly recommend that you do so.

This may be where new music begins.

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic and Magical, November 26, 2011

By 

Gregory Rick (Marblehead, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Irishy Girl (Audio CD)

The Flower of Magherally is my current favorite, though I confess the poignant Henry Joy takes the top spot at other times. If I'm more in the mood for Irish language, then it's Mal Bhan or Ta Na Baid. Through and through, this CD is an amazing collection of songs that captures how Kate sings in concert. There is little production needed for these songs - you can close your eyes and hear her playing harp or piano, and singing just as if you were there live with her. Dulaman will be familiar to many who listen to Celtic music, and while I'm sure you'll enjoy Kate's take on it, this CD will introduce you to many other songs that you'll return to again and again.