Name: The Words That Remain
Brand: Shanachie
SKU: 64592
Price: 13.87 USD
Availability: InStock

The Words That Remain

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Album: The Words That Remain
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Pastures of Plenty	More Info...	0:03
2)	The Stride Set (Reels)	More Info...	0:06
3)	The Waking Up Set (Jigs)	More Info...	0:04
4)	The Grey Selchie	More Info...	0:06
5)	Song of Choice	More Info...	0:03
6)	La Bruxa	More Info...	0:04
7)	I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love	More Info...	0:05
8)	The Vega Set (Jigs)	More Info...	0:04
9)	A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn O	More Info...	0:04
10)	Sproggies Set (Reels)	More Info...	0:04
11)	The Beauty Spot (Reels)	More Info...	0:07
12)	Sraid An Chloig	More Info...	0:03

Performer Notes

Solas: Karan Casey (vocals); John Doyle (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars); Winifred Horan (vocals, fiddle); Mick McAuley (vocals, accordion, concertina, low whistle) Seamus Egan (nylon string guitar, mandolin, banjo, flute, low whistle, tin whistle, bodhran, percussion).
Additional personnel: Iris DeMent (vocals); Bela Fleck (5-string banjo); Michael Aharon (cello, keyboards, electric bass); Chico Huff (electric fretted & fretless basses); John Anthony (drums, djembe, udo, pandeiro, bodhran, dumbek); Steve Holloway (drums).
Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Personnel: Mick McAuley (vocals, whistling, accordion, concertina); John Doyle (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Winifred Horan (vocals, fiddle); Iris DeMent, Karan Casey (vocals); Samus Egan (whistling, guitar, banjo, mandolin, flute, pipe, bodhran, percussion); Bla Fleck (banjo); Michael Aharon (cello, keyboards, electric bass); Chico Huff (electric bass); John Anthony (drums, bodhran, djembe, dumbek, pandeiro); Steve Holloway (drums).
Audio Mixer: John Anthony.
Recording information: Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, PA.
Translator: John Spillance.
Arrangers: Michael Aharon; Solas; Bla Fleck.
The third album from the dynamic contemporary Celtic-folk band Solas is very consistent stylistically with their first two efforts, peppering traditional Irish folk songs, jigs, and reels with less conventional instrumentation. But if The Words That Remain sticks closely to the formula that brought immediate success to Solas and Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers, it also features a more eclectic song selection that demonstrates the flexibility of the band's distinctive sound. In addition to the expected Irish folk tunes (e.g., "I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love" and "A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn O") there are brisk and energetic covers of Woodie Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty" and Peggy Seeger's acerbic activist ballad "Song of Choice." These songs invert the band's most significant accomplishment: having first invigorated Celtic music by adding elements of American folk and bluegrass, Solas has apparently turned to invigorating American folk by adding Celtic flair. As always, the production is slick and seamless, employing a seemingly bottomless bag of musical tricks that keep the proceedings lively and unpredictable throughout. The record also features impressive guest contributions by Canadian banjo master Bela Fleck and vocalist Iris de Ment. The Words That Remain does nothing to diminish Solas' standing, achieved within only three years of their debut, alongside the Chieftains and Altan as masters of an increasingly visible musical genre. ~ Evan Cater.

Professional Reviews

CMJ (11/23/99, p.32) - "....regarded as one of the foremost practioners of Irish folk music....There has always been a strong connection between Irish and American folk music, so Solas new fusion is really no surprise..."

Dirty Linen (4-5/99, p.68) - "...one of the best Irish traditional music ensembles in the country, if not the world....THE WORDS THAT REMAIN is a fine album..."