Lunasa

Lunasa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Compass Records
• ASIN: B00005LN2I
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,583 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #93 in Music > World Music > Celtic > Rock

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Re-release of a Classic, June 23, 2002

By 

Luke D. Powers (Seaford, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lunasa (Audio CD)

Lúnasa can best be described as the Bothy Band of this era. But whereas the Bothy Band's sound had more of a rough-and-ready feel, Lúnasa's sound is highly polished, with graceful harmonies and rhythms that swing.

This is their first album with Mike McGoldrick and John McSherry (since replaced by the super duo of Kevin Crawford and Cillian Vallely), re-released with a live version of "Colonel Frazer" replacing the original studio one, and an extra track consisting of a Breton tune and an Irish reel played almost with a Breton rhythm. For those of you not familiar with Lúnasa, their lineup consists of uillean pipes, fiddle, and flute, and a rhythm section of upright-bass and guitar. There is no singing, so if you're a fan of vocals you might be disappointed, but the sounds these guys produce are amazing and make you want to get up and dance. This album has live and studio-recorded tracks, but Lúnasa's playing is so smooth you won't be able to tell the difference until you hear the roar of the crowd afterward. Even if you own the original release of this album, the extra track makes another purchase worth it.

Lúnasa is the band I play when I am trying to introduce someone to Irish music. If you are only recently getting into Irish traditional dance music, I can think of no better band with which to start.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lively Irish traditional music, July 14, 2002

By 

E. Thompson (California, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lunasa (Audio CD)

The music is pure Irish dance music, but with a driving guitar backup and bass rather than a drum. The tunes are traditional, but the harmony is a bit more modern and the rhythms more syncopated than 50's style ceili bands. Some noteable tracks are Feabhra, which starts out with the Brenda Stubbert reel and moves into a mixed meter tune which sounds almost Balkan, and Aibreann, an air with a lush, beautiful low-whistle duet. Meitheamh is my favorite, though, a driving traditional reel that features each soloist in turn. If you're a fan of traditional Irish instrumental music, pick this up - you'll be glad you did.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Downright Amazing ..., October 13, 2003

By 

hyperbolic squiggly - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lunasa (Audio CD)

This is the excellent debut album from possibly Ireland's hottest music act these days. Irish music with the perfect blend between tradition and the new, definitely jazz-influenced with their impeccable arrangements and transitions. This is the most colorful, lively and passionate Irish music CD I know of in existence. The bass and guitar and bodhran provide the driving backbone I find missing in most celtic music I've explored. Oh, and for you Uillean pipe fans ... I think there's more splendid piping on this their debut than any other Lunasa release. True virtuosos, these guys are amazing to see in concert (as of Autumn 2002). Very friendly and down-to-earth, as well!! (FYI: This is completely instrumental.)