Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers

Solas

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 1997)
• Original Release Date: May 20, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shanachie
• ASIN: B000000E5M
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #115,581 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #30 in	Music > Indie Music > New Age > Celtic
  #39 in	Music > Indie Music > New Age > International

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Solas are based in the U.S. and are indisputably one of the best neo-trad Irish bands--from anywhere. This is an extraordinary album, which is saying plenty, as they've never made a bad one. Solas make such urgent music that every tune sounds completely new, even when heard over and over again. The virtuosity of the instrumentalists is beyond compare, and they sometimes wreak playful havoc on the straight up-and-down of Irish time signatures without compromising their sources. Singer Karan Casey offers an astonishing combination of cool-headed technique and unfettered passion--her duet with John Doyle on "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" could raise goose pimples on a two-by-four. But the fiery temperament and precise picking of Philadelphia's own Seamus Egan is why Solas can make a simple jig or reel swing within an inch of its life. Sung in Irish and English. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solas' second near-masterpiece--don't miss it, January 31, 2003

By	Stephen Finley "emncaity" (Lubbock, Texas--a session band hacker) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As with the review of Solas' debut CD, "music fan" from Buffalo could not be more off the mark. Again (this is repeating some of the review of that debut), the criticisms sound more like a criticism of the entire genre, from someone who doesn't know the genre enough to hear the distinctions and thus thinks it all sounds the same. And to describe guitarist John Doyle's playing as "the same two chords" is just mind-bogglingly inept. Ask somebody who plays guitar for an Irish band, as I do, whether Doyle is in fact playing "two chords," or whether we have a guitarist of immense subtlety and expertise, comping the melody players with interplay that is at times truly jaw-dropping, upbeating and backbeating the rhythms, inventing progressions with twists and suspensions and various inversions that make you want to go try them yourself, if you're a player. This guy is as good as it gets in this business.

As for the allegation that Solas sounds pretty much the same as lots of other traditional bands (albeit with "a little more energy"), well...again, ask some local Irish musicians you know to listen to some of the better tracks here. Try them out on "Tom Busby's et al." or "Paddy Taylor's et al." (Actually, if you want the real clincher, let 'em hear the #8 track--"Dougie MacDonald's et al"--on Solas' debut CD. That'll do it.) This is pure virtuosity.

I mean, what Solas did with "Wind that Shakes the Barley" (the first track) is worth half the price of the CD. There you have a ballad that in its original form (e.g., the Clancys' version), love its tradition as we all do, still is not the kind of thing that would draw anyone outside Irish music to an appreciation of the genre. Along comes Solas and redoes the thing entirely by reworking the melody and giving the whole thing a Galician flavor. This is a perfect example of how the early Solas was able to breathe new life into an old standard while still working within traditional lines.

As for the carping about "soft schlocky ballads": There's probably a grain of truth here for someone _outside_ the genre, because Irish and Scottish traditional songs do tend to get repetitive (lots of verses-in-a-row kinda thing). And if you're not listening to (or not interested in) the words to something like "Unquiet Grave"--if you're waiting for something "exciting" to grab you--it's really not. (On the other hand, if you listen to the words, it's one of the truly most emotional songs around, an intensely sad expression of how the pre-Christian Celtic "dead is dead" notion affects a grieving lover.) Or if you don't understand Gaelic, maybe "Aililiu na Gamhna" will be one of those tracks you click past. But then, "Maid on the Shore" and "Adieu Lovely Nancy" are very nice ballads in the traditional vein that do not require this kind of in-genre special attention. (Also, "Maid" includes an instrumental melodic line that is close to genius--a near-reversal of the melody in "Wind that Shakes the Barley," with the line spiraling wildly upward, midway through the album, helping to establish a subtle structural wholeness to the CD.)

Hey, short version is, buy it. Or listen to it somewhere and then buy it. Then write Solas, tell them we miss them, and beg them to get back to this kind of music.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gorgeous Recording, September 9, 2000

By	Jeff Sampson (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This is an outstanding effort, mixing textures and tempos expertly. The cover of Unquiet Grave is beautifully haunting- Karan will be sorely missed. If you like Altan, you will not go wrong with Solas. As regards the guitar comments from Buffalo: Yes, the guitar is driving and prominent, but that has always been a cornerstone of the Solas sound. The musicianship of each and every memeber is well beyond reproach, in my humble opinion. Go see them live, and you will be ready to hug the guitarist (and everyone else around) in your excitement!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The name says it all...this will cast a spell on you!, June 1, 2000

By	Cheryl Iaconis (Bakersfield, CA) - See all my reviews

Well, I guess I took a while to purchase a Solas CD. I did buy Karan Casey's "Songlines" and thought it was an outstanding piece of musical workmanship, but when combined with the group, she sounds even better.

With Deanta no longer singing as a group, Solas has to be the best Irish Folk Rock group around. Karen sounds fantastic in Aililiu Na Gamhna, even if I don't have clue what she is singing about! . This song is fast becoming one of my favorite Celtic songs of all time. I suppose I could give a quick review on all the songs Karan sings in this CD, but to keep it short and sum it in one word...lets just she sounds GREAT!

I also liked the fast pace playing of the banjo in track 2, The Big Reel of Ballynacally and the reels on track 4 and 5.

All in all, this CD has no musical weaknesses to speak of. The numerous songs, airs, jigs and reels are sung and played to perfection. I enthusiastically give this two thumbs up and 5 stars.