Take Me Home

Celtic Thunder | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 14, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Celtic Thunder Ltd
• ASIN: B002AK9UTU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,402 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #10 in Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Ireland
  • #24 in Music > World Music > Celtic > General

Editorial Reviews

The new studio CD features 15 songs/14 never before on CD!

Since March 2008, Celtic Thunder has spent over 45 weeks at the top of the Billboard World Music Charts, knocking themselves off the number 1 spot with their second CD "Celtic Thunder Act II." Now after scanning close to 400K units and playing to over 200,000 people on their second North American Tour Celtic Thunder presents Take Me Home (filmed at Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada on April 21st '09) an all new show on CD and DVD.

The event features almost all new material with only three of the most popular songs from the original Celtic Thunder pledge show included. The new songs are dynamic and exciting. Damian (a foot and a half taller with a new deeper voice) has great new songs in "Happy Birthday Sweet 16" and "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and would give a young Neil Sedaka or Frankie Vallie a run for his money! Ryan's dark destroyer character develops well with a rendition of Sting's "Every Breath You Take", George's personality and sense of humour comes to the fore in "500 Miles", a highlight in the show and Paul's performance of "You Raise Me Up" is not to be missed. Keith, the blonde surfer heart-throb is set to steal more hearts with "Castles in the Air" accompanying himself on the guitar. The guys come together for both "Working Man" and "Take Me Home", as ever their voices even more powerful in these ensemble songs, and in the harmony pieces. "Danny's Boy" A Cappella, has been included due to popular demand after their performance on 5th Ave for "St Patrick's Day" and performing it at the White House that night - the highlight of their success in the USA.

The new CD of "Celtic Thunder - Take Me Home" is also all new songs not featured on previous CD's. It will have 5 songs that are not on either the Pledge TV show or the new DVD. These are "Homes of Donegal" and "Wichita Lineman" from Keith, "Because We Believe" by Paul, a new original "Midnight Run" with Ryan and all of them in "Green Fields of France." All of us at Celtic Thunder hope that our new show "Celtic Thunder - Take Me Home" available from WLIW for the June Pledge - along with the new CD and DVD of "Celtic Thunder - Take Me Home" as new premiums to offer members are successful for Public Television this June and beyond and help bring in much needed revenues in these difficult times!

Also available: A DVD with a running time of almost 2 hours features 13 new Celtic Thunder performances!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Love the Guys, but This isn't 5-Star material, July 15, 2009

By 

Elizabeth G. (Midwestern United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Take Me Home (Audio CD)

I pre-ordered this CD as soon as I saw it was going to come out. Full disclosure, I'm a huge fan, saw the concert in the Fall, own the first 2 discs & DVD. That said, this compilation isn't as good as it's predecessors.

To begin, Damien has obviously grown into his adult voice and in sounding quite mature, vocally, yet is given two 50's/60's era sappy over-produced solo pieces ("Breaking up is hard to do" & "Happy Birthday Sweet 16"). The female background is so grating I've only actually listened to each song once.

Keith is given a stronger position with the opening piece, but the Wichita Lineman seems like it was selected only to provide a stage-y action prompt for the concerts. Even the opening, The Homes of Donegal, though a good song, doesn't ring true to Keith as presented in "Loren & I" which he cowrote.

As for the other three men, it's hit and miss. George's remake of the crappy 80s song "500 miles" is inauthentic and ridiculous. I was hoping against hope that he would sing the 500 miles of Peter Paul and Mary fame, but alas. Paul's remake of the very recent "You Raise Me Up" is also odd because it continues to be a hit for Josh Groban. Even though he sings it well, Paul's version will never be the definitive version. Final note of criticism, Ryan's "Every Breath you Take" also seemed too produced and breathy - as though created for a stage production and not the album.

Negativity aside, there are shining beacons of "classic" (if such a word can be associated with such a young group) Celtic Thunder. Specifically "Because We Believe" "Take me Home" "Working Man" and "Appalachian Roundup"

It seems as though the producers forced the guys into creating another album too soon, although doubtless fans were clamoring (myself included) for more. These guys have worked nonstop for the past year with three albums, two DVDs, two PBS specials w/ fund-drive appearances, and Fall '08, Spring '09, and Fall '09 American/Canadian tours. Creatively, these guys should be given more breathing room and an allowance for more organic growth - but alas, this is just an Amazon review.

This reviewer is looking forward to the long-promised individual albums many of the guys claim to have been working on as part of their Celtic Thunder contracts... but don't rush it like this album seem to have done.

My condensed advice - cherry pick from the album via MP3s because there are gems, but they're definitely in the rough.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mostly Good Album, July 21, 2009

By 

Nathalie (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take Me Home (Audio CD)

First, I really like Celtic Thunder and definitely a fan. The signers and the band are very talented. I love the instrumentals on this CD, and all the Irish songs old and new. I just can't understand why Celtic Thunder re-hashes other people's songs, like "Every Breath You Take", without making it uniquely different, and why include non-celtic oldies for young Damian. I wish they stuck to Irish composers, celtic-inspired music, and more of their own compositions. The Working Man works because it hails from the celtic-influenced Canadian Maritimes. My favorites: Green Field of France, Midnight Well, the instrumentals, Working Men and Homes of Donegal. Wichita Lineman is rather boring and seems out of place. This group is fairly new, and they and their musicians have a great opportunity to shine with their own uniqueness. P.S.: Love the kilts!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Little Disappointed, July 27, 2009

By 

GoBigRed (Mena AR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take Me Home (Audio CD)

I agree with some of the other reviewers. This second concert seems very different from the first concert. The filming seemed awkward. The new songs did not showcase their talents or homelands. Admittedly, Damien is having problems finding his range but his new renditions of the songs he sang in the first concert are almost painful to watch. They do not fit his voice any longer which is a shame but can't be helped. And I agree, while the Neil Sedaka songs fit his new voice, he is too old for them and the campy routines were almost embarrassing. And Ryan's version of "Every Breath You Take" was breathy. Keith seemed bored in his solos. I saw these guys in Little Rock last fall and vowed to see them again if they ever performed close enough to travel to, but after seeing this concert DVD, I have decided not to. I think this concert was cranked out for profit and little thought was given to keeping their unique sound. I think the guys are tired and have done too much in too short a time as the original energy and enjoyment is just not there. For now I will enjoy their first concert DVD and matching CD's. I think I will put this new concert DVD and CD in the closet. But saying all that, I love these guys!