The Celts

[CovenantJr]

...by which I mean Enya, Clannad, Runrig, Capercaille etc. Those are the ones I know (listed more or less in order of familiarity), but I'm sure there are plenty of others. I know Danlo is a Clannad fan, so perhaps he'd care to make a contribution?

Ok, so - the one I'm most familiar with is Enya. She was the first of the Celtic-style musicians I heard, when my dad played me The Memory of Trees back when it was new. I soon went out and bought my own copy on cassette (I was young and didn't have a cd player), and from there progressed to her back catalogue. In honesty, I don't have any knowledge of anything that might have come after Memory of Trees - that is the most recent of her albums I own. My favourite Enya song (or whatever you want to call them) would be a tie between Caribbean Blue and Cursum Perficio. Although Caribbean Blue is in English, i tend to have a soft spot for Gaelic songs. I think it's a beautiful language to listen to, and the songs often have good rhythm

Enya led me to Clannad, since she's part of that family, and I have a few of their albums now. I think my favourite Clannad albums would have to be Lore and Landmarks. I can't name specific songs, because my favourite ones are all in Gaelic

So - anyone else like this kind of music?

[theDespiser]

is Loreena McKennit irish? dont listen to much enya, but i like her music...same with Clannad...my mom had this cd called Celtic Voices, and i listened to that a while before i had to give it back...it was all female vocalists...i like irish folk/drinking music, too...a group called Fannigan's Isle play traditional/folk/irish music...theyve been friends of the family for a while now...theyre pretty good...not just irish music, but other folk songs as well...some english...theyre really good...

[Ylva Kresh]

Loreena McKennit is from Canada, but some of her songs are celtic or celtic-inspired (we had a discussion about here somewhere else here, but I dont remember the thread). I like Enya a lot, Clannad too but I was not really amazed by Moira Brennan's (? Enyas sister, vocalist in Clannads later albums) own records. Capercaille is great!

Has any of you heard of Anuna? They have fantastic voices (a male choir that could take your breath away and a lovely female vocalist too) and some great tunes!

Does anyone fancy Mary Black? I like most of what she has done, but am acctually more fond of the "folk"-type songs (from probably late 1800?) than of her songs in gaelic/Irish.

[CovenantJr]

I've never heard either of those, I'll keep my eyes peeled

And, just because I'm feeling anally retentive this morning (maybe it's theDespiser's mention of anal nutcracking) I am compelled to point out that it's Moira Brennan, pronounced "Moya"

[Ylva Kresh]

Moira pronounced Moya? I didnt know know that (kind of funny, "Moia" is my alias in the middleages. I know it is a derivate of the name "Maria", but unfortunately it is rather similar to the swedish word for "goo"/"slime" ).

[matrixman]

I've enjoyed Enya's music, though as I understand it, hers is a stylized New Age or Pop Celtic sound. My favorite Enya album remains her self-titled debut (now dubbed as "The Celts" album). Her subsequent albums had stronger individual tracks but also more filler, and lacked the feeling of an organic whole that distinguished her debut record. However, Enya's compilation release, Paint The Sky With Stars, is fabulous. It really does sum up the particular magic and potency of her sound.

By the way, CovJr, Enya's most recent studio effort was A Day Without Rain. (Which I have not bought.)

Loreena McKennitt's early work might be considered truer to traditional Celtic sounds (though I'm honestly not sure what defines an "authentic" Celtic style). I thought she hit her stride with The Visit, but it was her follow-up album that, in my view, marked McKennitt as a great musical artist: The Mask And Mirror. It's an intoxicating, mesmerizing synthesis of European and Middle Eastern styles. It has the feel of a grand musical odyssey through strange lands. McKennitt continues to be an artist that I follow with great interest.

For a more hardcore traditional sound, is anyone here familiar with Kila? I love this Irish band's debut recording, Tog e go Bog e. It's simply ecstatic music-making. The band's website is www.kila.ie in case anyone is interested to learn more.

[CovenantJr]

Enya is indeed Pop Celtic, if there is such a thing. I suppose I'd say she makes music in purely her own style, with celtic influences. I didn't realise The Celts was her first album, but it is certainly different to the others. I'd agree with your assessment that the other albums have stronger individual tracks

[Edinburghemma]

I think you should also look out for Kate Rusby, who would probably be up your street. I must say I have to disagree with you about the Gaelic though. Singing is not too bad, but the spoken,errrrrrh. We have Gaelic programming at the weekend and BBC2 in the week eves, and it's pretty dire to listen to. Good comedy though.

Having said all that, Clannad and Enya are very good, but Mary Black is probably just a tad too m.o.r, for my taste. Check out the "Rough Guide to Celtic music" CD, will get a URL in a mo.

[CovenantJr]

I've never heard Gaelic spoken, so I can't comment. It does work well for singing though, imo.

[danlo]

I do like Clannad but Altan is my fav group-I also like Dougie McClean, McKennit is great and I have some other favs but need to get home and look at my CDs to remember exact artists.

[Angoid]

Another old thread being resurrected here ....

I'm into Clannad as well ..... it's Máire Brennan, not Moira, and yes, it's pronounced "Moya". She started using the phonetic spelling of her name when Two Horizons came out in 2000 because she said that she never wanted to be called "Mare" again

Moya and Enya (Máire and Eithne) are indeed sisters, but Enya was only with Clannad for one album (can't remember which one it was now).

There is another little group that's caught my attention recently called Trinití - they're an Irish trio who have so-far only got one album out, but none of the material is original to them. The final song on that debut album is Now We Are Free which appears to be in Hebrew, but the lyrics are written out phonetically and it seems that nobody is sure whether they are in Hebrew, or whether they mean anything at all.

That same song is often attributed to Enya, but this is untrue.

Another interesting album I have is called The Rubicon, by The Duggans - half of Clannad in other words. It seems to be a very difficult album to get hold of. Baidín Fheidhlimidh takes a lot of beating.....

[CovenantJr]

it's Máire Brennan, not Moira, and yes, it's pronounced "Moya".

Ah, quite right. Thanks for the correction. I'd be annoyed as hell if people misspelled my name all the time.

Come to think of it, they do. Hmm.

[stonemaybe]

I do like Clannad but Altan is my fav group-I also like Dougie McClean, McKennit is great and I have some other favs but need to get home and look at my CDs to remember exact artists.

Both Altan and dougie - though very different - are two of my faves too - wow!

Cara Dillon is a current one to look out for....

[Sunbaneglasses]

My wife loves Enya, thus I have been exposed. Pretty cool, trippy stuff.

[aliantha]

Is this thread too old for a second resurrection?

Yay, Celtic music fans! My all-time fave trad-Irish band is Flook -- www.flook.co.uk. Brian Finnegan is a pennywhistle god (assuming there is such a thing!). I've seen them in concert three or four times. The first time, they were opening for Altan. I'd never heard of them before and I was just blown away. Anyway, Flook won the BBC's award for best folk group last year. Just amazing stuff.

I also like Lunasa and Danu. And I've got a CD by a Canadian group called Beolach, which I bought after hearing them play at the Potomac Celtic Festival -- they're pretty good, too. (I heard Lunasa at the same festival the following year.) I prefer the instrumental stuff to vocal music.

[lucimay]

nothings too old to revive!!

ya can't talk about irish music without mentioning

Shane Mcgowan and The Pogues!

[aliantha]

They sure *look* authentic. I'll have to look for them. Thanks!

[Menolly]

Cursum Perficio

*nod*

Hyperception's favorite as well. But then, he likes Latin, period.

There is another little group that's caught my attention recently called Trinití - they're an Irish trio who have so-far only got one album out, but none of the material is original to them. The final song on that debut album is Now We Are Free which appears to be in Hebrew, but the lyrics are written out phonetically and it seems that nobody is sure whether they are in Hebrew, or whether they mean anything at all.

Now We are Free

Anol shalom
Anol sheh lay konnud de ne um
Flavum
Nom de leesh
Ham de nam um das

We de ze zu bu
We de sooo a ru
Un va-a pesh a lay
Un vi-i bee
Un da la pech ni sa

Un di-i lay na day
Un ma la pech a nay
mee di nu ku

La la da pa da le na da na
Ve va da pa da le na la dumda

Anol shalom
Anol sheh ley kon-nud de ne um.
Flavum. Flavum.
M-ai shondol-lee
Flavu
Lof flesh lay
Nof ne
Nom de lis
Ham de num um dass
La um de
Flavne. Flay
Shom de nomm
Ma-lun des
Dwondi.
Dwwoondi
Alas sharum du koos
Shaley koot-tum.

Heh...totally beyond me.

It strikes me more as a Celtic version of a niggun, though. A song of nonsense syllables that expresses the heart of the singer without real words.

Perhaps Syl or Ms. Mary will know.

[matrixman]

Flook was one of the acts at Winnipeg Folkfest last year (I think), but I completely missed them, though a friend of mine raved about them later.

They weren't around this year, and I don't yet know the line-up for next year's festival, but I do hope Flook will return to us at some point so I can check 'em out for myself. If my friend's enthusiasm was any indication, Flook must have been a hit with the audience.

[stonemaybe]

A couple of fantastic Irish bands to look out for (will post links when I get home to my own computer)....

Kila. These lot are pretty unique as far as I can tell. You'd almost think you were at a trance/dance gig when you see them - but very very very uplifting stuff! Lyrics all gaelic and all trad instruments.

Four Men & A Dog. This lot split up but they've been getting together every now and again for years. lots and lots of FUN, and extremely talented too. They won't start playing if anyone is sitting down!

(And Aliantha, if you're looking out for the pogues, expect more PUNK/celt than celt...!)

If anyone likes fiddles, check out Seth Lakeman. he's English, but don't let that influence you...