ALTAN
Gleann Nimhe (The Poison Glen)
Compass Rose 4571

www.compassrosemusic.com
 

Altan is that rare Celtic band that has enjoyed pop music crossover success even though its music seldom strays far from its Donegal roots. If anyone was worried that Altan was on the cusp of going studio-style slick, Gleann Nimhe ought to put such fears to rest. It has a honed-in-sessions feel that is reminiscent of the band’s 1990 release The Red Crow in that is a mix of big sets (“The Ardara Girls” and “The Lancers Jig), beautiful songs (especially “The Blackest Crow” and “Cailin Déas Crúite na mBó”), and slip jigs. Altan doesn’t get much more funky on this release than an opening guitar run on “A Fig for a Kiss” that sounds like a variant of The Beatles’ “Day Tripper,” and some harmony on “Caitlin Trail” that sounds like a celestial choir. As always, most of the melody lines are built upon two fiddles (Ciarán Tourish and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh) and accordion (Dermot Bryne), with bouzouki (Ciarán Curran) and guitar (Mark Kelly and Daithí Sproule) laying down the rhythm. Fans of Ní Mhaonaigh’s vocals will delight in new offerings such as her take on the chestnut “The Lily of the West” and her impossibly high break-glass soprano on “An Ghealóg.”

In truth, there are only a handful of sessions players in the world who can play at this level of excellence, but the raw and sometimes fragile edges of Gleann Nimhe show that Altan can capture plenty of magic without gilding the lily. If this is the poison glen, I can’t imagine how beautiful the antidote would be.

— Rob Weir