Blackwater - Altan

Advantages: lovely listening
Disadvantages: ?

...I first heard the band Altan in the 80’s at a festival somewhere; I saw them a few years ago in Hemel Hempstead. I have been listening to the CD Island Angel today. I like this Celtic folk rock, I find it calming and soothing the reels lively making me tap my fingers and want too dance. Altan are Mairead Mhaonaigh playing fiddle and vocals, Frankie Kennedy Flute, low whistle, backing vocals, Mark Kelly, guitar, backing vocals Ciaran Curran, Bazouki, bazouki guitar. Ciaran Tourish, Fiddle, backing vocals Daithi Sproule, guitar, backing vocals Guest musicians on Island Angel are Dermot Byrne Donal Lunny Tommy Hayes Steve Cooney Niel Martin Anna Ni Mhaonaigh This C D was recorded in Dublin in1993. Island angel has 13 tracks. The first one is three reels Tommy Peoples, The Windmill and Finian Mc... Read review

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Advantages:
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...Some might think that after so many years and albums, this seminal Donegal band is becoming too slick and/or too generic. Well, I own two other Altan discs, and this one beats both. There's a greater emphasis on vocals here, but I don't mind that because the singing is delicate, gentle and irresistable. Plus, the melodic quality of the songs is absolutely first-rate And the instrumentals still pull me along every time. There are a number of guests along for the ride(including Bonnie Raitt), but thankfully, they only add to the traditional essence of the band.... Read review

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Advantages: Heavy, deep, thoughful, brilliant musicianship
Disadvantages: Tad more mainstream than we are used to

...I recently saw Opeth in Manchester, and during the performance, Mikael referred to Blackwater Park as "the hit album". Because it is. This might put some people off, but I would suggest that the huge popularity of this album at the time of its release was due to musical merit and expectation from the up and coming Swedes rather than a "pop" culture boom that we repeatedly see from other bands, most notably, Cradle of Filth, with their "Nymphetamine" release, and Metallica with their "St Anger" release. That said, this album integrates the old with the new, but in a good way - brilliantly heavy riffs, with surprisingly mellow acoustic work - deathly growls, to angelic vocals and, as expected from Opeth, lyrics that actually MEAN something. This album shows a progression for Opeth - mainly, I would say, in the production of the album... Read review

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