The Merry Sisters of Fate

Lunasa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Green Linnet
• ASIN: B00005K9SK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,407 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Unlike most contemporary Irish bands, Lúnasa has no singer, preferring instead to focus on purely instrumental music. But on The Merry Sisters of Fate, the playing of flautist Kevin Crawford, fiddler Sean Smyth, and uilleann piper Cillian Vallely is so lyrical you hardly notice the lack. The three lead players are supported by guitarist Donogh Hennesy and bassist Trevor Hutchinson, who create a sound that is rhythmically supple and harmonically complex while still being deeply rooted in tradition. All members of the band are topnotch players, but what sets Lúnasa apart from other Irish bands is the inventiveness of arrangements that skillfully weave the sounds of such nontraditional instruments as lap steel guitar, clarinet, and harmonium with the standard flutes, fiddles, and pipes. The sound that Lúnasa creates is undeniably modern, but they play these old jigs and reels with a combination of grace and conviction that will have even the most hidebound purist itching to get up and dance. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best at What They Do, July 10, 2001

By 

Solomon Foster (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Merry Sisters of Fate (Audio CD)

Nobody is better than Lunasa at playing traditional Irish tunes in modern arrangements. Donogh Hennessy (guitar) and Trevor Hutchinson (bass) are the keys to the sound, propelling everything along without losing a traditional feel. They are what sets the band apart, not the gimmicky non-traditional instruments that make brief appearances here. Seeing the basic five-piece band live is a pure pleasure.

Unfortunately, this album doesn't capture the live sound quite as well as the previous two. A little bit of the fire and sonic richness are missing. The great arrangements remain, though, and Donogh's waltz "Inion Ni Scannlain" (aka "The Hennessy Waltz") is a great new tune.

If you like this sort of music, this is a must-have album. (But get their album Otherworld first -- it's even better.)

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, September 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Merry Sisters of Fate (Audio CD)

If you are unsure about celtic music this will change your mind.
You will not miss the vocals, with this band you do not need them. The band is fantastic and the cd is just a total pleasure to listen to.Grab a tea or coffee, sink back into the sofa and just let it play. It will move you!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The finest celtic instrumental group - period, December 1, 2005

By 

G. Freeman (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Merry Sisters of Fate (Audio CD)

Lunasa has an amazing sound that far exceeds that of any other celtic instrumental group I have ever heard. They bring a fresh perspective to the genre that retains its old dance music roots but adds a dimension that makes for excellent listening. Perhaps it is their energy and intensity that makes them singular; perhaps it is their passion and the beauty they imbue their music with. It certainly has something to do with their sometimes nontraditional bass lines that drive the music and the harmonic structure that gives it depth; the music is always intriguing and engaging! It is a combination of these things that makes Lunasa the best. You must listen to this group if you are a fan of Leahy, Altan, Natalie McMaster, and other groups that produce fine instrumental music rooted in celtic tradition - Lunasa blows the rest away.