DANU
All Things Considered (Shanachie)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Danu is a septet of 20-something Irish musicians (the one non-Irishman, American fiddler Jessie Smith, makes his last appearance on this album, which also features contributions from his replacement, Oisin MacAuley) who have created a sensation in Irish traditional circles on the basis of their two previous albums and non-stop international touring.

With seven players, most doubling and tripling on their instrumental contributions, Danu is capable of weaving a rich tapestry of sound, blending traditional jigs, reels and airs with more contemporary material. Among the group's fans is Irish folk icon Liam Clancy, a personal mentor to some of the members, who adds his vocal talents on "Easy And Free." A good bit of the story here, though, is who Clancy joins on vocals. Ciaran O Gealbhain is one of the most remarkable voices to emerge from Ireland in many years. A native speaker of Irish Gaelic, he sings in both English and Gaelic and offers a dimension of accessibility to the sound of Danu that provides an appeal beyond the realm of Irish Trad fans. His voice is so good, in fact, that you have to pay some attention to notice that the instrumental aspect of the band is nearly as remarkable. These are all young players and there's potential for a long and successful future for Danu. Don't wait for Danu 12 to start noticing, though, because All Things Considered is a great introduction to an exceptional band.

Track List:

The Garsun Who Beat His Father/Sean McGuire's/Jimmy Kelly's * Bridget Donahue * The Kinegad Slashers/Young Tom Ennis/The Battering Ram * The Wee Lass On The Brae * The Buck From The Mountain/Paddy Killoran's * Rince Garbhcriche Ri Seoirse IV/The Road To Cashel/Cafferkey's Shine * Easy And Free * Rogha An Ghabha/The Mountain Lark/John Carty's/The Old Pensioner * An Deirc * Sliash Russell/An Buachaill Dreoite/The Humours Of Rahey * Jack Coughlan's/Kilteery/Michelle O'Sullivan's * Uncle Rat * The Beauty Spot/The Maid Behind The Barrel * Idir Aird Mhor Is Eochaill

© 2002 - Shaun Dale