Customer Reviews

An Raicin Alainn

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hearing Amhrain na Phuca on Irish-language radio, I bought this CD, admittedly not easily found. The songs are varied, and the instrumentation never overwhelms the voice. It's rare to have recorded and in-print a singer from the Aran Islands, by the way. My favorites are the unaccompanied (sean-nos) tracks, but the blend of styles and settings keeps the sequence lively and thoughtful. I do believe her strength lies in her voice more than the backing, and in a future album I hope she concentrates on more of the Conamara sean-nos reportoire, which needs current representation on CD. She avoids Enyaistic wails and New Age synths which have swamped so many of her contemporary native Irish singing counterparts, and the purity of delivery--ironically perhaps--recalls very early (mid-late 70s) era Clannad with its pastoral dignity.

I was introduced to Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola's work on a visit to her native home on the Irish Aran Island of Inishere. We purchased several of her cd's at her family's gift shop. My brother then used some of the music to accompany a digital slide show he created.

Any fans of Enya's Irish language work will find Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola's work very comforting. All done in acoustic styling with guitar, harp, flute, violin, Irish drum as well as several tracks that are sung acapella. Especially catchy is track 7 (I Myself Go Fishing) on which Lasairfhiona sings harmony to MacDara O Conola's lead with a drum accompaniment. All the lyrics in the liner notes are written in the Irish and then with an English translation.

Highly Recommended.

I think this CD is wonderful.It took a lot of courage to do a completly gaelic CD without adding any english songs.It adds to it and makes it Gaelic to the core.Our whole family enjoyed it and I would recommend it to anyone.