Customer Reviews

Lakefield

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Leahy's first CD was a rambunctious offering if a bit rough about the edges. There was a definite passion about it and I have enjoyed it often in the past three years.

I was excited to learn that they had released a new CD and purchased it right away. The first two tracks showed all the previous enthusiasm for their music with considerably more polish than their first CD. They've either gotten a lot better or they spent a lot more time in the studio. Then the third track came along and suddenly the CD started to sound like really bad Christian rock. Technically, the musicianship is good and the quality of the vocals is okay, but the lyrics are insipid and overall the music is uninspiring. I'm sure the songs are meaningful to the composers, but whatever that meaning is, it doesn't get conveyed to the listener. By my second time through the CD, I found myself skipping the vocal tracks to get to the good stuff. I have considered selling the CD, but the instrumental tracks are really, really good.

My advice to Leahy would be to stick to the instrumental music they do best and not waste precious space on their future CD's with vocal cuts. Unless they can come up with much better stuff.

There are six instrumental tracks that get a solid five stars. There are six vocal tracks that get no stars. Average them out and round them up to three stars.

I have been a fan of Leahy ever since I saw them live in '97 (and subsequent years) and have been longing for a new album to listen to for a while now. The patience has payed off in a big way and their new album "Lakefield" is absolutley incredible. If you have worn grooves in their first, self-titled CD, you will recognize their prominent sound once again in this new album. The addition of six vocal tracks give the album a more contemporary sound without detracting from the attention-getting fiddle sawing that Leahy is so well known for. The vocals (great harmony!!!) and fiddle playing (fantastic as always!) compliment each other very well. If you are looking for a CD filled with genuine talent and are tired of the prefabricated pop sounds that have taken over today's air waves, give Lakefield a try. Returning fans of Leahy will find it immensely enjoyable as will newcomers. I also really recomend, if you ever have the chance, to see Leahy live. You will be blown away!! if truth be told, their albums ALMOST don't do them justice as part of their je ne sais quoi is seeing them play live. I don't think anyone who has seen them in concert will dispute that...

I picked Lakefield up over the weekend and I must say that I was impressed. The music was almost as good as Leahy's first CD.

The major weakness in this CD (and the main reason for 4 stars rather than 5) is the singing. There are more vocal tracks on this one then in their first one. Unfortunately, the singing is not up to par (the CD is at home, so I'm not sure which of the sisters is actually singing). It is not bad and she does have a good voice. But it's not the greatest. When compared to the instrumentals, the vocal songs are lacking a bit.

That being said, the instrumentals are again wonderful. The fiddle playing is so hard and fast, I almost expect smoke to be coming from my CD player. Yet at other times, it is slow and haunting. This is one talented family. The song that contains step-dancing (Seamus, I believe, but I'm not positive) really gets your feet moving. It's not quite as good as "Call to Dance" on the first CD, but it still grooves nonetheless.

It's not the most traditional Celtic music around, but it's got a good beat, great fiddle playing, and a decent singer. A great example of Celtic rock, at least on the faster tracks. I hope it's not 4 years until the next one. I'd love to see the further development in this group's music. And I'd love to hear the singer's voice after she's had a little more time to take lessons.

I loved Leahy's self-titled debut and have played it endlessly over the last three years, all the while waiting for a new CD. Last week I was at a listening booth and to my surprise...the latest Leahy offering "Lakefield."

I generally do not buy CDs without reading reviews at Amazon.com, but as I sampled the album my foot started tapping. This is addictive music, folks. It updates the traditional Cape Breton Celtic sound with slick production values and this time around six vocal cuts and six instrumentals, all written and performed by Leahy.

About the comments that it doesn't measure up to the first Leahy album: Leahy has had more time to explore more musical directions and styles, and they are very comfortable with their sound. It is haunting, evocative, brimming with energy...the slow songs are just as touching as the blazing fiddle solos and lyrics such as "I hear your voice calling my name/so much I fear/ bearing this pain/ But you are my life/ You are my love." The harmonies are beautiful and remind me of the Rankin Family, another established Canadian Celtic musical family.

The vocals are not substandard as some reviewers will be quick to point out. This is a family of musicians raised with music, not conservatory-trained singers or violinists. Part of the joy of Leahy is their energy and spontaneity. This album is a delight, a perfect combination of fiery fiddles and thoughtful slow songs pondering love and life. It is extremely rare to find a family of nine siblings that all share the same love of music and their cultural heritage and all are extremely talented.

There may not be a song with the commercial appeal of "Call to Dance" but all of the tracks are memorable (and yes, stepdanceable!). There is one song with stepdancing included as a rhythm instrument (I could have done with more!). If you're looking for an introduction to Canadian Celtic, look no further. If you're looking for an album to bring back the green patchwork fields of Ontario (or Ireland!), "Lakefield" is it.

Leahy does not disappoint. I happened to catch their PBS special and got Lakefield the next day. Of course there is what you would expect from this group; dynamic fiddling songs that make you want to get up and dance. And they are in peak form on his album. What motivated me to buy this album was the vocal cuts. Their voices are reminiscent of the folk singing I heard in the pubs as a student in Ireland and Scotland. The singing is clear and very easy to listen to. If you like the convoluted singing of conservatory singers or the aritificial electronica of today's pop divas, this is not something you would enjoy. This album really shows how well developed their repertoire has become. Kudos to them for expanding and growing as a group. Some here have dissed the vocal tracks, I got this album BECAUSE of the vocals.

Leahy is without a doubt one of the best assembled bands out there. They have something that a lot of musicians don't have...and that would be pure and honest talent. By seeing them in concert, you'll know what I mean. I caught them this past summer at the Northern Lights Festival here in Sudbury, and what can I honestly say....THEY BLEW ME AWAY!! I've been a fan ever since I heard their first album. During that one show, a lot of material was played, and some of that was from this album. This is the follow-up and it does just that...follows up on greatness and everything else. If there's one thing this family does great, it is play. The dramaticness and talent that is shown through the instumental work makes this album a must-have. Just give a listen to "Mission" and "Leviathan." As well, the few vocal tracks are also a nice treat. "Down That Road" is the first single and has a great beat, but my fav would have to be the mellower "Borrowed Time." The lyrics are meaningful and this song tells such a great story, it almost brings a tear to your eye once you know the reasoning behind it. These are just a few of the pieces found on the album. To get the jist of what Leahy really stand for, buy the album, give a listen, and if given the chance, see them in concert. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

This is my first CD by the canadian group Leahy so I bare no prior knowledge of their other works but from the sound of it Leahy's Lakefield holds much promise for the years to come. Leahy's Lakefield is also my first real venture into the celtic crossover world. And while songs like "Mission" and the tap dancing "Seamus" are energetic and danceable celt tunes with hooks that are catchy as hell, their seemless lack of originality sort of ruined it for me. The more poppish tunes like "Down That Road" and "Don't Let Me Down", which are all sung by Denise Leahy and her sisters, are some of the best songs on here, but because of the fact that they treaded down the same path as the Corrs with their celtic-pop fusion, it caused me to drop a star. I still recommend this album with very high praises but if you've heard of the Corrs before than this might sound like a disappointment. However, if you haven't heard of them before than this divine album should sound like celtic heaven!

I loved Leahy's first CD. I played "Call to Dance" over and over. And I waited eagerly for their next CD.

But I was disappointed. The instrumentals and fiddling were as dynamic as ever. The vocals were good. But since the cover showed the Leahys stepdancing, I thought there would be more of it on the CD. And I was disappointed--no, irritated--by the number of Christian message songs. That's not what I bought the CD for. If I wanted to listen to Christian witnessing, I'd buy a religious CD.

This is not Leahy's best. I hope for their third CD they'll go back to what made them a success on the first.

I am new to Leahy. I was only familiar with a track or two, from PBS stations, played inbetween programs. I was pleasantly surprised. Though I am not a person that is into folk music, it is very spirited and has enough modern aspects to keep me interested, and yet retain the Celtic origin and flare. The strings are lovely, and vocals haunting. It is now one of my favorite CD's. The gentle spiritual themes in some selections are a nice touch.

Alternating between fiery Celtic fiddling and appealing, pop-style vocals sung in pure country harmony, these lush songs from the nine Leahy siblings shimmer with heartfelt energy. In this, their second album from Narada, vocals are not the only addition to the group's sound. Judging from the cover photos and the sound of the footsteps, it sounds like more--if not all--of the brothers and sisters are adding their feet to the step-dancing percussion. Though not really a fan of pop vocal music, I find that I don't mind it here at all. The sisters' voices are sweet and well-matched, and the lyrics are great--professions of faith, philosophy and gentle insight into aspects of human nature that are so much more important than the customary "baby, baby, I want you" schlock that generally permeates the pop idiom. And of course, the fiddling and the piano improvs on "Lakefield" are terrific--full of spunk and style, and the guitar, bass and drum accompaniments keep everything bouncing along with modern flare. If you like Leahy, try also the work of the Irish band Solas, which explores a similar range of musical territory, and American hammered dulcimer player Jerry Read Smith, who seems to espouse a similar philosophy. And of course, for more Irish step-dancing, check out the music and videos from Riverdance and Michael Flatley.