Hi How Are You Today

Hi How Are You Today

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
I don't know what they keep thinking up in Nova Scotia. Maybe it's all the fish they eat, or the fact that they can go to jail and not collect $200, but they keep putting out odd music. Like Ashley MacIsaac, who desires to reinvent traditional Cape Breton fiddle playing as something for the '90s (which probably explains the kilt, DMs, and plaid shirt--a sort of ethnic Nigel Kennedy). It's a nice idea, but it's been done. In the '60s (Fairport Convention), '70s (Steeleye Span, East of Eden), and '80s (all the people who borrowed from those other bands). MacIsaac adds some in-your-face production and some damn good playing. What he doesn't add is anything particularly new. Yes, you can jig and reel to some of it, and enjoy the crunch of the guitars and drums. And the slow stuff, played more traditionally, is gorgeous. Thing is, where can he go from here? --Chris Nickson

Tracks:

Beaton's Delight
Sleepy Maggie
Rusty D-con-STRUCK-tion
The Devil In The Kitchen
MacDougall's Pride
Spoonboy
What An Idiot He Is
Sophia's Pipes
Sad Wedding Day
Wing-Stock
Hills Of Glenorchy
Brenda Stubbert/Catherine Cries

Amazon.com

I don't know what they keep thinking up in Nova Scotia. Maybe it's all the fish they eat, or the fact that they can go to jail and not collect $200, but they keep putting out odd music. Like Ashley MacIsaac, who desires to reinvent traditional Cape Breton fiddle playing as something for the '90s (which probably explains the kilt, DMs, and plaid shirt--a sort of ethnic Nigel Kennedy). It's a nice idea, but it's been done. In the '60s (Fairport Convention), '70s (Steeleye Span, East of Eden), and '80s (all the people who borrowed from those other bands). MacIsaac adds some in-your-face production and some damn good playing. What he doesn't add is anything particularly new. Yes, you can jig and reel to some of it, and enjoy the crunch of the guitars and drums. And the slow stuff, played more traditionally, is gorgeous. Thing is, where can he go from here? --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

The most fun you can have with a couple spoons!.......2006-03-27

Others have said there is nothing new here. I completely disagree! Ashley takes traditional Celtic music and sets it on its ear. This is a vibrant, edgy, foot-stomping and truly unique album.

My favourite tracks are The Devil in the Kitchen, Spoonboy, Sleepy Maggie, Hills of Glenorchy and Wing-Stock. I bought it on the strength of Sleepy Maggie which was a radio hit back in the day here in Canada. Some 10 years after this album was released (!!), it still sounds as fresh as it did then. I never get tired of listening to it.

As far as I'm concerned, Wing-Stock is the best track on the CD. The way it starts off slow with just a piano then builds, gradually adding in the other instruments is truly some great arranging.

I would have to agree with other reviewers -- 'What an Idiot He Is" is also my least favourite track. Let's just say singing is not Ashley's forte. I first found this particular song droning and irritating. I can't say I particulary like it now, but the snarly sarcasm has kind of grown on me.

For anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Ashley perform, you already know that this guy is devastatingly talented. No one plays the fiddle like he does -- you have never seen a bow fly quite so fast and furious or with so much skill before! Unfortunately Ashley's talent is both his blessing and his curse. In Canada he is as well known for his musical genius as he is for his off-stage shenanigans.

For anyone who loves fiddling, or just loves a stomping good time, get this album! It's awesome.

He's Not An Idiot!.......2005-08-09

I absolutely LOVE this album!! I just saw Ashley in concert, and when he played the songs from this CD, I was ecstatic. If you love Celtic music, but are getting a little bored with the traditional jig or reel, Ashley MacIsaac is the musician to check out. His addiction to crack cocaine obviously had no effect on his fiddling ability. Ashley is the epitemy of Celtic Rock, and his energy on his album and on stage is electric. Despite his being gay, I find he is VERY attracive; for some people that is incentive to buy something! If you already fiddle or play violin, his music and the way he conveys the story it tells will make you want to buy the sheet music. "Sleepy Maggie" is beautifully sung by Mary Jane Lamond, and is fun to sing along to even if you are just immitating her voice sounds! The humour of "What an Idiot He Is" provides comic relief to a CD mostly comprised of fast-paced, non-verbal songs. My favourite song, "Wing-Stock," is full of ornaments that make Ashley's music unique. His new CD, "Pride," that is due for release on 27 September, 2005, does not have any fiddle on it. This will be a true test to Ashley's musical ability. For all you fiddle lovers out there...BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!! For all you rock lovers out there...BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!! I LOVE ASHLEY MACISAAC!!!

..........2003-06-01

...No, really, it HASN'T been done before, and there's NO real comparison to Steeleye Span or that particular form genre of folk-rock/whatever-the-[heck]-you=want-to-call-it. Ashley Mac's giving it the Nova Scotian, Cape Breton nineties trance treatment, which is NOTHING I remember from Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. At very least, the [smartie] whose review they've chosen to post as the 'official' word on MacIsaac's artistry did give up a few points for his playing. Otherwise, it's a poor way to present what for the most part is really an original, (yes, ORIGINAL)contemporary twist put on traditional tunes.

Others Have Done This Before and Done It Better.......2002-05-02

Sorry, folks, this one doesn't quite cut the mustard. It's OK, but nothing special. Merely adding a bunch of crunching, disorted guitar chords to some fiddle playing does not an exciting folk-rock album make. This is clearly the case of a FOLK musician trying to make a ROCK album, but he has no clue as to how to go about it and resultingly sounds out of his element. If you want to hear what truly exciting Celtic Rock is, check out Tempest's "Gravel Walk" and "Turn of the Wheel", Wolfstone's "Unleashed", or Horslips' "Book of Invasions": there is intricate interplay among various instruments, at times each instrument solos, at others, all the instruments join together in note-for-note harmonious unison to form a powerful melodious wall of sound. There is nothing of the sort here. The fiddle player just wails away while the guitar player plays power chords and drones beneath the wail. No interplay from the guitar, no soloing, no note-for-note unison. In short, nothing interesting musically is going on and nothing to maintain the listener's interest. This simplistic, fiddle-over-guitar chords formula rapidly becomes tiresome and boring. Good try, Ashley. Better go back to the drawing board before trying anything like this again. Or better yet, just stick to folk music (the folkier tunes are the better ones on the album).

Gorgeous!!!.......2002-03-18

It has a good beat and it's easy to dance to, I give it a 10!...

Average customer rating:

WOW
Decade-old Remixes
Gain some, lose some
Ashley reloaded.

Hi (TM) How Are You Today?
Ashley MacIsaac
Manufacturer: Linus Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Ashley MacIsaac
Live At The Savoy
A Cape Breton Christmas
Fine Thank You Very Much (Import)
Pride (Import)

ASIN: B0002RMAPY
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Tracks:

Beton's Delight
Sellpy Maggie
Rusty D-con-STRUCK-tion
The Devil In the Kitchen
MacDougall's Pride
Spoonboy
What An Idiot He Is
Sophie's Pipes
Sad Wedding Day
Wing-stock
Hills of Glenorchy
Brenda Subbert
Sleepy Maggie - The Sandman Mix
Sleepy Maggie - The Deep Sleep Mix
Sleepy Maggie - The BKS Chameleon Boom Mix 1
Sleepy Maggie - The BKS Chameleon Boom Mix 2

Album Description

The breakthrough Triple Platinum album. Remastered, with four bonus remixes of the monster hit "Sleepie Maggie that were not included on the original album. Also includes the videos for "Seepie Maggie" and "Brenda Stubbert" in Windows Media format.

Customer Reviews:

WOW.......2007-03-16

Heard this cd from a freind and it blew my mind. Rock and fiddle, awesome combination. The album can be broken down into the following
1-4 These tracks make you wonder how ripped this guys fingers are. Sleepy maggie has awesome female vocals in gaelic, they sound angelic especially in the bridge of the song i get the chills from that
5-7 Kind of the interlude tracks, 5 is traditional and slow, 6 uses spoons and a beboppy piano, 7 can be a fun song if you dont take it too seriously some people have major problems with this song saying it doesnt fit but as you can see 5-7 was meant as an interlude
8-12 After taking a respite its back to the goods, i refer to this guy as the joe satriani of fiddle, if you know who joe satriani is im sure you'd agree

The cool thing is its not all about the fiddle its very band oriented

Decade-old Remixes.......2006-09-17

I don't have the new version of this album, but I do have the original and the Sleepy Maggie single from which the four remixes at the end were lifted. "Hi How Are You Today" has some very good tracks at the beginning and end, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. However, the remixes added after the original CD ends were made in the mid-90's when this album was new, and they weren't exactly cutting-edge back then. Honestly, I can't imagine who would enjoy them today. This was already a lopsided album, and the bonus tracks will only exacerbate that.

Gain some, lose some.......2005-09-22

I love this record and while it's nice to have four remixes of Sleepy Maggie, the hidden track "Catherine Cries" that was on the previous edition has been left off this one!

The remastering didn't really add much as the record was mastered and mixed well to begin with.

Worth getting if you don't have it already, but don't rush to upgrade unless you really like Sleepy Maggie remixes.

Ashley reloaded........2004-08-12

Basically, a re-release of his 1996 album of the same title, but with four extra tracks tacked onto the end. These bonus tracks are alternative mixes of "The Sandman", "The Deep Sleep", and two versions of "The BKS Chameleon Boom". Perhaps Ashley is attempting to recoup his losses after a bitter parting with the Loggerheads record label, who made that naughty fiddler promise to NEVER call them again!