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The producers of this anthology of Irish music must have looked at all those Christmas collections that turn up in December and wondered why a similar wave of green-tinged releases didn't flood the market in March. In that seasonal spirit,
The Ultimate St. Patrick's Day Celebration is about as deep an overview of Irish music as Lawrence Welk's
22 Merry Christmas Favorites is a thoughtful meditation on the birth of Christ. The songs selected are nearly as familiar as "White Christmas" ("Danny Boy," "The Rising of the Moon," "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"). The artists (
Clancy Brothers,
Irish Rovers,
Dubliners) and arrangements are likewise of the crossover variety. And yet, all things considered, this collection will keep revelers reveling--as it's meant to do.
--Steven Stolder