Customer Reviews

Solas

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

 

 

I fell in love with Talitha MacKenzie when she was with "Mouth Music". She left to pursue a solo career, and both she and Mouth Music have been going great guns (she was replaced by the amazing Jackie Joyce). This album has some songs originally from Mouth Music's debut album, most notably "Chi mi na Morbheanna", which was played at JFK's funeral. It has been improved with some excerpts form his most memorable speeches (eg. Long Twilight Struggle), making it quite haunting. It also pays to read the words - the spiteful lyrics in "S'Muladach mi" really come through in her voice! The music is upbeat and catchy - a great way to bring traditional Scots Gaelic songs into a modern context. Expand your horizons - I highly recommend buying it.

I purchased this CD by mistake. I am very glad I made that mistake. This is wonderful and like the other reviewer said, a "great way to bring traditional Scots Gaelic songs into a modern context". This is extrememly interesting music, the lyrics beautiful.

First, a word about my preferences. I like my Celtic folk straight up, with relatively traditional elements and arrangements. When Talitha MacKenzie stays away from the synthesizer and the drum machine she makes me very happy. She has a lovely voice and she shines in the simplest tracks on this album. Unfortunately, most of the tracks have been arranged as 80s pop tunes, which have not aged well.


This in mind, I recommend the following tracks:
Uamh an Oir (The Cave of Gold -- Mouth Music)
Rol Hol Ill Leo (Waulking Song, Sea Shanty)
Theid Mi Dhachaigh (The MacKenzie Lullabye) -- very lovely.

Otherwise the album is a bust.

This album is so incredibly tacky. The arrangements are embarassingly generic and bland... Ugh! It's records like this that give Celtic music a bad name.