Solas

Solas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
To push his music into the vocal realm, Seamus Egan has joined three musicians from the When Juniper Sleeps project--fiddler Winifred Horan, accordionist John Williams, and guitarist John Doyle--plus singer Karan Casey to form a band called Solas. Solas, produced by Silly Wizard's Johnny Cunningham, immediately marks this American quintet as a major force in Celtic music. The dance tunes combine rhythmic verve and melodic invention, and the songs give the instruments equal footing with the vocals. Egan's special gifts have never had a better setting. --Geoffrey Himes

Tracks:

Pastures Of Plenty
Coconut Dog/Morning Dew
Silver Dagger
Timmy Clifford's
Newry Highwayman
Reasonland
Highlands Of Holland
Le Poules Huppees (The Crested Hens)
Rain And Snow
Black Annis
Who's In The What Now
On A Sea Of Fleur De Lis
Lowground
Beauty Spot
Nil Na La
The Flowing Bowl
Lament For Frankie

Customer Reviews:

The Best of All the Solas'.......2007-02-17

This CD/DVD is a joyful reunion of the current Solas members with all (?) of the past members, like Karen Casey. They sound (and look, on the DVD) like they are really having fun, playing together once more. If you know Solas, this is a memento to listen to over and over. If you don't know them, it's a fine way to start!

Solas Reunion - A Great Find.......2007-01-10

The musicianship on this album is great and the DVD is a real bonus!

Incredible musicians and what a price for a DVD/CD.......2006-09-25

You get more than 2 hours of DVD concert footage--one great tune or song after another. Wow. I'm not kidding. Wow. Driving duo guitars on one tune, then Karan Casey singing a song then the whole band rocking out on some incredible set arranged the Solas way. You really have to hear this to believe it. This is Irish music stretched into a Solas groove. There are too many highlights to name them all: 4 part female harmony on Reasonland; John Doyle rocking out; Seamus Egan playing banjo, flute, guitar; Winnifred Horan showing fiddle virtuosity on ripping jigs and reels, then making you weep on some slow tune. And the vocals of one breathtaking vocalist after another. Solas isn't just straight ahead Irish music played at breathtaking speed . . .they hit a groove and explore the territory; they cover all sorts of stuff besides Irish: Darkness Darkness by Jessie Colin Young (remember the Youngbloods?); Cold Rain and Snow (the Grateful Dead covered this trad tune on their first studio album in 1967 or something) and everything gets the Solas treatment and it works beautifully. So watch the incredible concert DVD, then pop the CD in your car or stereo or whatever it is you listen to and you will be amazed. And to think I wasn't much of a Solas fan before I saw/heard this reunion set.

awesome.......2006-08-19

I went to Ireland and was looking for some typical Irish music when I walked by Celtic Note in Dublin and heard this playing over the sound system. I immediately went in and bought myself a copy and have not been able to stop listening to it since then

Bravo!.......2006-08-05

This CD/DVD set are reflections of exactly what fans of Solas love about the group. If you like high energy Irish music you will not be disapointed!

Average customer rating:

Excellent and worthy followup album to self-titled debut
I agree with the reviewer in Buffalo......
A Good Companion Audio CD to go with the "Solas" DVD.
Solas' second near-masterpiece--don't miss it
A Gorgeous Recording

Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers
Solas
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Words That Remain
Solas
Another Day
Edge of Silence
The Hour Before Dawn

ASIN: B000000E5M
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Tracks:

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (Song)
The Big Reel Of Ballynacally/The High Hill/Flash Away The Pressing Gang (Reels)
Aililiu Na Gamhna (Song)
Tom Busby's/James O'Byrne's/The Four Posts Of The Bed (Jigs)
Paddy Taylors/McFadden's Handsome Daughter/The Narrowback/Franks Reel/Esther's Reel (Reels)
The Unquiet Grave (Song)
The Maid On The Shore (Song)
Song Of The Kelpie (Air)
Mom's Jig/Bill Nicholson's 67th (Jigs)
The Primrose Lass/Molly From Longford/The Four Kisses (Reels)
Vanished Like The Snow (Song)
The Kilnamona Barndance/Give The Girl Her Fourpence/My Maryanne (Barndance, Reels)
Adieu Lovely Nancy (Song)

Amazon.com

Solas are based in the U.S. and are indisputably one of the best neo-trad Irish bands--from anywhere. This is an extraordinary album, which is saying plenty, as they've never made a bad one. Solas make such urgent music that every tune sounds completely new, even when heard over and over again. The virtuosity of the instrumentalists is beyond compare, and they sometimes wreak playful havoc on the straight up-and-down of Irish time signatures without compromising their sources. Singer Karan Casey offers an astonishing combination of cool-headed technique and unfettered passion--her duet with John Doyle on "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" could raise goose pimples on a two-by-four. But the fiery temperament and precise picking of Philadelphia's own Seamus Egan is why Solas can make a simple jig or reel swing within an inch of its life. Sung in Irish and English. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and worthy followup album to self-titled debut.......2006-08-02

Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers is more of the same that can be found on their self-titled debut, but the band has obviously matured. John Williams, Winifred Horan, and Seamus Egan are all in top form. John Doyle's guitar has become more refined and he truly shines on this album, his playing transcending mere backup. Karan Casey is a delight to hear, especially on the track "Aililiu Na Gamhna".

I highly recommend this album to anyone who likes Irish traditional music. You won't be disappointed!

I agree with the reviewer in Buffalo.............2003-12-28

(except where s/he proposes there be any reason at ALL that one should listen to Barry Manilow!!!)

I'm afraid I can't recommend this CD or this band, with Karan or without. The songs and tunes DO have a dreary sameness and predictability about them. Mind you, if that one sound happens to be one you LIKE, perhaps this is just the ticket. Karan Casey does have a beautiful voice, but it's better served on her solo efforts. What I find about Solas is that they take all the lilt and joy out of the trad Irish tunes, which are primarily dance tunes and ought to sound more HAPPY. At times frenetic, at times grinding, full of perhaps nervous energy--- this is music by which to pack for a month's vacation when your plane leaves in an hour. If you want some really lilting, cheery, irresistably DANCEABLE traditional music, have a listen to Danu. If you like the heavy-on-the-strings sound, Bohola does it much better. I can also recommend both bands our friend in Buffalo mentioned, Tempest and Horslips, with the caveat that they are Celtic *rock* bands

A Good Companion Audio CD to go with the "Solas" DVD........2003-04-29

Failte! (Greetings!) This is one of my favorite Solas CD's, but I watch and listen to these songs on the "Solas" DVD more often now. The DVD has up close and personal interviews with band membmers with Karen Casey still in the group. There many distinctive qualities to the old Solas Crew. Karen Casey was is lead, excellent voice with both English and Gaelic lyrics. When she left in later years, the group lost itself for awhile. Seamus Eagan sings, plays excellent flute, plays excellent tenor banjo and excellent octave mandolin. John Doyle is the guitar back up you want if you are interested in ripping through reels, hornpipes and jigs. Horan Winifred is an all Ireland Fiddle champion. Together, they represent a 1990's era of Irish traditional music as much as Altan, the Chieftains and the Bothy Band can be given credit for eras of this unique music. Don't miss the Solas recent efforts with Liz Carroll in "Lake Effect."

Solas' second near-masterpiece--don't miss it.......2003-02-01

As with the review of Solas' debut CD, "music fan" from Buffalo could not be more off the mark. Again (this is repeating some of the review of that debut), the criticisms sound more like a criticism of the entire genre, from someone who doesn't know the genre enough to hear the distinctions and thus thinks it all sounds the same. And to describe guitarist John Doyle's playing as "the same two chords" is just mind-bogglingly inept. Ask somebody who plays guitar for an Irish band, as I do, whether Doyle is in fact playing "two chords," or whether we have a guitarist of immense subtlety and expertise, comping the melody players with interplay that is at times truly jaw-dropping, upbeating and backbeating the rhythms, inventing progressions with twists and suspensions and various inversions that make you want to go try them yourself, if you're a player. This guy is as good as it gets in this business.

As for the allegation that Solas sounds pretty much the same as lots of other traditional bands (albeit with "a little more energy"), well...again, ask some local Irish musicians you know to listen to some of the better tracks here. Try them out on "Tom Busby's et al." or "Paddy Taylor's et al." (Actually, if you want the real clincher, let 'em hear the #8 track--"Dougie MacDonald's et al"--on Solas' debut CD. That'll do it.) This is pure virtuosity.

I mean, what Solas did with "Wind that Shakes the Barley" (the first track) is worth half the price of the CD. There you have a ballad that in its original form (e.g., the Clancys' version), love its tradition as we all do, still is not the kind of thing that would draw anyone outside Irish music to an appreciation of the genre. Along comes Solas and redoes the thing entirely by reworking the melody and giving the whole thing a Galician flavor. This is a perfect example of how the early Solas was able to breathe new life into an old standard while still working within traditional lines.

As for the carping about "soft schlocky ballads": There's probably a grain of truth here for someone _outside_ the genre, because Irish and Scottish traditional songs do tend to get repetitive (lots of verses-in-a-row kinda thing). And if you're not listening to (or not interested in) the words to something like "Unquiet Grave"--if you're waiting for something "exciting" to grab you--it's really not. (On the other hand, if you listen to the words, it's one of the truly most emotional songs around, an intensely sad expression of how the pre-Christian Celtic "dead is dead" notion affects a grieving lover.) Or if you don't understand Gaelic, maybe "Aililiu na Gamhna" will be one of those tracks you click past. But then, "Maid on the Shore" and "Adieu Lovely Nancy" are very nice ballads in the traditional vein that do not require this kind of in-genre special attention. (Also, "Maid" includes an instrumental melodic line that is close to genius--a near-reversal of the melody in "Wind that Shakes the Barley," with the line spiraling wildly upward, midway through the album, helping to establish a subtle structural wholeness to the CD.)

Hey, short version is, buy it. Or listen to it somewhere and then buy it. Then write Solas, tell them we miss them, and beg them to get back to this kind of music.

A Gorgeous Recording.......2000-09-09

This is an outstanding effort, mixing textures and tempos expertly. The cover of Unquiet Grave is beautifully haunting- Karan will be sorely missed. If you like Altan, you will not go wrong with Solas. As regards the guitar comments from Buffalo: Yes, the guitar is driving and prominent, but that has always been a cornerstone of the Solas sound. The musicianship of each and every memeber is well beyond reproach, in my humble opinion. Go see them live, and you will be ready to hug the guitarist (and everyone else around) in your excitement!

Average customer rating:

Karan carries it.
Solas during their Prime! Pioneering Work!
Easily accessible
The Words That Remain
The Best Celtic Music I've Heard

The Words That Remain
Solas
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers
Solas
Reunion: A Decade of Solas
Edge of Silence
Waiting for an Echo

ASIN: B00000AFPZ
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Pastures Of Plenty
The Stride Set (Reels)
The Walk Up Set (Jigs)
The Grey Selchie
Song Of Choice
La Bruxa (Air)
I Am A Maid That Sleeps In Love
The Vega Set (Jigs)
Sweet Comeraghs (A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn O)
Sproggies Set (Reels)
The Beauty Spot (Reels)
Sraid An Chloig

Amazon.com

This recording from the Irish-American group Solas really makes the two national identities mix beautifully. They start with Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty," played as a roaring Irish ceili. Later they delve into politics, delivering a strong message over a strangely effective, upbeat musical bed in Peggy Seeger's "Song of Choice." It doesn't hurt that they invited Iris DeMent to share the vocal duties on this track, and she and Solas front singer Karen Casey give this song emotional impact. Guest input also includes banjoist Bela Fleck, some interesting bass work from Chico Huff, and a mixed bag of percussion and drums from John Anthony. But the core group is still deeply involved in the material that they have made a name with. The Irish dance sets still dominate the recording. John Doyle's guitar continues to provide a solid rhythmic bass that usually precludes the need for a drummer (even when they have one); Seamus Egan provides a broad palette of sounds on banjo, flutes, mandolin and percussion; Winifred Horan continues her notable fiddling; and Mick McAuley continues to expand his mastery of the squeezeboxes. Record number three for Solas still finds them on track, with a solid, all-acoustic lineup, a great choice of tunes, and a subtle new bi-directional course toward America and then back to Dublin. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Karan carries it........2005-10-31

Karan Casey's voice is the main reason for buying this album. What else is there? Well, there are sets of jigs and reels that are as jiggy and reelly as you could wish for, if you like that kind of thing. Also, Iris DeMent joins Casey on "Song of Choice" and it is great to hear these two fine and distinctive voices together, even though the song itself is unremarkable. It would be wonderful to hear more of them as a duo.

The weak points are the two songs in Gaelic -- which gain nothing by being sung in the original (unless of course you speak the language) -- and the dreadful La Bruxa, a painful squeezebox effort that might earn a busker a few centimes (or Euros) outside the Paris Metro, but does not belong here. Otherwise, the musicianship is excellent throughout.

Casey's departure was her gain and the band's loss, but this album remains a must for lovers of Celtic music, and for followers of America's various folk traditions.

Solas during their Prime! Pioneering Work!.......2004-10-20

Solas has changed recently since the departure of Karen Casey. I remember the good old days when this band gave Irish Traditional Music CPR while ripping through reels and jigs. There was world percussion and there was a driven pace set by John Doyle playing fast chord configurations. Karen was singing in both Irish Gaelic and English. High energy tracks followed by hauntingly beautiful songs. What fun! Their first four albums followed this frantic pace of inspired arrangements, with a little known tribute DVD to the old crew, "Solas," filmed during a concert with a supportive audience on Saint Patrick's Day in Burlington, Vermont. I strongly recommend all of the above Solas albums and DVD. With so little Irish Traditional Music on DVD, their DVD is a little known, but a rare gem.

Easily accessible.......2004-04-19

This album is a good choice for anyone looking for uplifting music and excellent musicians.

I don't normally listen to this type of music but I found Solas to be very easily accessible.

The Words That Remain.......2004-02-26

SOLAS continues to thrill listeners like me who are looking for world music they can get next to. SOLAS offers celtic music that makes you want to dance, beat a drum and sing along to. Whether the song is traditional or contemporary, you listen with a wink and a smile!

The Best Celtic Music I've Heard.......2001-07-13

My sister knew of my passion for Celtic music and bought me this album for Christmas. The group is phenomenal and the music is lively. From folk songs to traditional jigs this album will brighten your day and lighten your heart. Some songs are English, some are in Galic and others are just instrumentals.

Average customer rating:

Excellent first CD by talented musicians
A First CD for Solas After Wild Acceptance in Ireland!
flawless album
absolute must if you like irish/scottish traditional
BUY THIS CD

Solas
Solas
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Celtic | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music

International | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Words That Remain
Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers
Reunion: A Decade of Solas
Another Day
Edge of Silence

ASIN: B000000E5A
Release Date: 1996-06-04

Tracks:

Nil Na La
The Flowing Bowl/Maire Breathnachs #1/The Doon/The Mason's Men
The White Petticoat/Stan Chapmans/The Miller's Maggot
I Wonder What's Keeping My True Love Tonight
The Yellow Tinker/Cranking Out/Master Crowleys #2
Crested Hens
Johnny's Gone For A Soldier
Dougie MacDonalds/Maire Breathnachs #2/The Antrim Rose/Atlantic Wave/Toss The Feathers
The Newry Highwayman
Gan Ainm/The Humours Of Whiskey/Leslie's March
Sliabh Geal Gcua Na Feile
Lament For Frankie
Timmy Cliffords/The Return Home/O'Ot Be Est Da Vong/John Joe Caseys

Amazon.com

To push his music into the vocal realm, Seamus Egan has joined three musicians from the When Juniper Sleeps project--fiddler Winifred Horan, accordionist John Williams, and guitarist John Doyle--plus singer Karan Casey to form a band called Solas. Solas, produced by Silly Wizard's Johnny Cunningham, immediately marks this American quintet as a major force in Celtic music. The dance tunes combine rhythmic verve and melodic invention, and the songs give the instruments equal footing with the vocals. Egan's special gifts have never had a better setting. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Excellent first CD by talented musicians.......2006-08-01

This first CD by Solas is an excellent debut album for the group featuring roaring tunes and heart-warming songs, a trend that continues onto the followup album. This album has both beautiful and foot-stomping moments.

All the musicians are at the top of their form. Karan Casey brings a unique and beautiful voice. John Williams is at the top of his game on the box and is definitely the highlight of the album. John Doyle's unique guitar style is taking shape here and it's interesting to see what a delightful style he has created (listen to "In Play" by Liz Carroll and John Doyle for some of his best work). Winifred Horan is definitely an excellent fiddler (although she doesn't stand out as much as the rest of the band) and Seamus Egan is, of course, amazing on his managerie of instruments.

If you're interested at all in Irish traditional music, definitely buy this CD. You'll be captured from start to finish!

A First CD for Solas After Wild Acceptance in Ireland!.......2004-10-20

There is some type of charm that goes with a new group and a first album. Raw,young,separate, huge talents and the joy of finding each other may be what's happening. "Nil'Na Lá" jump starts the album with an invitation to "have a roll 'round th' blankets." This started Solas on a roll through their first three albums and DVD, a new following of fans and a love affair between the band and their fans. This gave traditional Irish Music CPR for many younger fans. A great way to learn Gaelic, and the lyrics are a message of hope, for "the mornin' has not come." Accordianist John Williams was with the group through this period of time, but replaced for the DVD. Vintage Solas is renewed in recognition each time new fans discover this pioneering style of arrangement of traditional music.

flawless album.......2004-08-13

Stunning flute playing, great singing, very solid fiddling and accordion playing... John Doyle's awesome, rhythmic guitar playing renders percussion and bass unnecessary. I couldn't more highly recommend this album for anyone who even kindof likes traditional Irish music.

absolute must if you like irish/scottish traditional.......2003-02-01

No idea what "music fan" from Buffalo is talking about; those criticisms sound more like a criticism of the entire genre, from someone who doesn't know the genre enough to hear the distinctions and thus thinks it all sounds the same. (Remember your parents and "that screaming on rock music that all sounds the same"?) Solas' first two CDs--this one and Sunny Spells--were the height of Irish musicianship in the late '90s, and they were widely (and rightly) acclaimed at the time as the best Irish band outside Ireland's borders, and possibly the best in the world.

I would agree that there is the occasional near-throwaway track on these first two CDs--maybe a couple of tracks per album, or in some cases, just sections of a set, not the whole set. Also, rarely, the unison is so precise it almost sounds _too_ clean, with the edges all smoothed off, almost as if it were electronically programmed and played, without the rougher quality that a traditional band usually carries with it. (My wife--a stepdance teacher--and I jokingly refer to one of those tracks as the "Dialing for Dollars" music, because it really does sound like until they get into the second piece in the set.)

But there are far more moments of exhilarating virtuosity in well-chosen pieces and well-assembled sets. During this period, Solas had an unmatched ability to update traditional music and to breathe life into it without losing its traditional character or becoming the least bit "Celtic-new-agey." To the sorrow of many musicians, that ability seems to have left them progressively in their last three efforts. But this early CD, along with Sunny Spells, should be bedrock stuff for anybody who likes Irish and Scottish trad.

BUY THIS CD.......2000-09-23

Powerful Irish group with fresh sounds that also hold to those of us who appreciate traditional sounds. A very good buy!!!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Album
A very beautiful anthology of music.
Solace
This is great celtic music. The best 'new'group in years
One of my top 5 favorites

Solas
Ronan Hardiman
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Anthem
The Words That Remain
Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames
Michael Flatley's Celtic Tiger
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ASIN: B0000069D3
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

Love Song
All The Way Back Home (LP Version)
Dreaming
Heaven
New Lands
Take Me With You
Angel
Far Away
Communication
Secret World
All The Way Back Home (Album Remix)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Album.......2007-08-02

My wife and I discovered this album on our honey moon in Bora Bora. It was playing at a restaurant. I begged and pleaded the staff to find out who it was. I got the name and ordered it as soon as we got home. I have since played it 1000 times and love it every bit as much.

A very beautiful anthology of music........2006-03-18

Hardiman's style is similar to Enya's with the snap and crispness lost in her latest releases such as "Amarantine." "Love Song" is the best and everything else on this CD is wonderful as well. The music stands up to repeated listening without being tiresome. In the CD liner notes is a blurb that reads, "Ireland has long been recognized as a principle source of original and innovative music." That is very true. I wonder why it took so long in getting to America. This CD is a great addition to anyone's music collection. Try out the samples to see if you don't agree.

Solace.......2005-03-09

I've had this CD for almost 6 years now and it just keeps getting better and better. All the tracks are perfect and seamlessly merge into one another. The female vocals are ethereal and the music heavenly.
This music will evoke soft emotions, induce a warm feeling, paint a surreal soundscape and make everything beautiful.
Track#3: Dreaming is awesome.

This is great celtic music. The best 'new'group in years.......2004-03-01

The lead singer has a lovely voice and the songs are done in an individual manner. so many celtic bands just play the music loud and fast and lose the beauty of the music. Solas has not done that here. The flute playing is just beautiful and I love the fiddle playing. What more can be said?

One of my top 5 favorites.......2003-11-30

This CD has the most up-lifting beat which I love. I crank up the volume and sit back and take it all in.

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully Enchanting
About the entire band...
No Comparison with High Energy First 3 CDs and DVD.
Good, not worst, not best
Nothing but the good stuff

Another Day
Solas
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Waiting for an Echo
Edge of Silence
The Words That Remain
Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers
Solas

ASIN: B0000CC4V6
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

Bird In The Tree
Scarecrow's Dream
I Wandered By A Brookside
It's Still Raining / Carlisle Street Reels
Just You
The Highlands of Holland
All That You Ask Me
Maire Mhilis Bhrea
The Wiggly Jigs
This Love Will Carry
Seoladh na nGamhna
Another Day

Amazon.com

After dabbling with new age fusion while using tunes by Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, and Tom Waits on The Edge of Silence, the Irish-American quintet Solas steps back from that ethereal edge on Another Day, its seventh album. The evolving line-up, led by noted multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan, emphasizes traditional Celtic music ("It's Still Raining"/"Carlisle Street Reels") and modern Celtic folk ("I Wandered By A Brookside" and "Just You") with uniformly strong results by gracefully drawing connections between the modern acoustic and traditional elements of Irish music. The band even stretches to incorporate a little bit of gypsy swing on "The Highlands of Holland," some American country music on "All That You Ask Me," and contemporary pop on "Scarecrow's Dream," which should appeal to fans of Sarah McLaughlan, whose hit "I Will Remember You" was co-written with Egan. The band continually explores different nooks and crannies of Irish music, but this evolution and versatility are so much more fulfilling than if it had just stood still. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully Enchanting.......2006-01-25

The lilting vocals coupled with the energetic instruments provide a wonderful mindscape to listen to. Seoladh Na Naamha and Maire Mhilis Bhrea enchanting and full of life and always puts me in a good mood.
On the whole, a great C.D. to add to any sort of collection you happen to have!

About the entire band..........2005-04-05

I have liked Solas since 2002, and even interviewed them last year (read it on my Web site, ScottyWZ.COM). Now, I decided to use this oppritunity to comment on the band as a whole. There have been people saying stuff like "The sound of a band going apart" and "they are getting worse with each album." I sort of agree with the latter, because they could do better. In my interview, they said that they basically play traditional Irish music and also some contemporary music. I think they need to add some more traditional Irish music into the pot. I currently have a copy of Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers (1997), The Words That Remain (1998), The Edge of Silence (2002), Another Day (2003), and Waiting for an Echo (2005). They certainly don't need to replace any members, but they do need to play some more Irish music.

No Comparison with High Energy First 3 CDs and DVD........2004-10-12

Maybe people of a different audience are hearing Solas for the first time, and there is a connection. My blessings. Seamus and Winnifred are immense musical talents and artists need to be true to their own heart. However, the new connection may also signal a connection with longtime Irish Traditional Music fans decreasing. I read the reviews,and then I listen to the music.
I don't hear John Doyle bouncing through incredible guitar chord arrangements. I don't hear Karen Casey's golden voice. The old formula that worked was high energy, snappy, toe tapping tracks followed by Karen's eyes shut, heartfelt melodies. Solas is simply a different group now after Karen and John left. The first album after the change, "Edge of Silence," seemed to signal a change of directions toward US music (Seamus now lives in the U.S.). A good comparison is "Wiggly Jigs," which would previously lead fans to expect real wiggle. Compare to the earliar "Sprogle Set." There is a real contrast between this album and their first three pioneering albums and DVD. The same energy can be heard in Liz Carrol's last two albums with John Doyle. My advice to anyone interested in hearing Solas at top form to try their early works. If the band wants to recapture its former loyal following, it needs someone bouncing to the beat and flat picking chords in fast paced arm swings like John and percussion. The old formula worked well and could work again.

Good, not worst, not best.......2004-06-03

"Another Day" sees Solas return pretty much to form after a rather wayward previous album "The Edge of Silence" where their traditional side took a backward step and the arrangements were lacklustre.

The medley of reels "Bird In The Tree" which opens this album is a real rip-snorter - full, powerful and very Irish, setting the tone for an album which grabs the attention pretty consistently, with confident arrangements and performances. Again the compositions are a mix of traditional and non-traditional, but the overall style of the playing veers more towards the traditional this time. The songs are all sweetly performed by Deidre Scanlan and include Dan Fogelberg's "Scarecrow's Dream", Kieran Goss's "All That You Ask Me", Dougie Maclean's "This Love Will Carry" and a traditional Gaelic "Maire Mhills Bhrea". The instrumentals have plenty of zip and include traditional and original tunes.

There's quite a lot to enjoy here and the sound is very rich and finely crafted, but for those demanding a more traditional, more Irish sound, go to their first three or four albums, which, despite having a rougher-edged sound, are in my opinion more involving.

Nothing but the good stuff.......2004-02-22

There's no filler here, just one great song after another. Particularly remarkable is Winifred Horan's consistently lovely fiddling -- what a beautiful, rich tone! Her song, The Highlands of Holland (good title!), has a klezmer-like sweetness and bounce that keeps me coming back to it.

Average customer rating:

Excellant...
Fools!!!
Not for everyone, lovely to me.
I love this CD!
Intense and captivating!

Edge of Silence
Solas
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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The Words That Remain
Another Day
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ASIN: B00005UV9V
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Darkness, Darkness
Charmy Chaplin
Prelude #1/Black Annis
Who's in The What Now
Dignity
The Poisonjester's Mask
Maybe In a Prayer
Beck Street
Clothes Of Sand
Prelude #2/Georgia Lee

Amazon.com

The band Solas is based in the U.S., but the members are mostly Irish born and all are musicians of the first rank. The leader, Seamus Egan (flutes, tin whistles, uilleann pipes, guitars, etc.), won a bevy of Irish instrumental championships before he was out of his teens, and has since composed some notable film soundtracks, including The Brothers McMullen, which yielded the hit "I Will Remember You." Not surprisingly, Solas is one Celtic band that understands the meaning of a hook. This 2002 release is a mixed bag of jazzy floor-stompers, power-pop experiments, New Age exhalations, and ethereal ballads that make the most of Deirdre Scanlan's exquisite soprano. Winifred Horan's fiddling is especially evocative--dusky toned and effortlessly inventive--and the other players are also consistently on their game. However, their contributions are mitigated by intrusive synths and overdubs, which rise to the top of the mixes with crutchlike frequency. --Christina Roden

Album Description

In this era of disposable, singles-driven albums it's refreshing to encounter an album meant to be experienced as a whole rather than as a mere collection of tracks. Solas, already acclaimed by many as the most exciting Irish traditional group in the world, has broken new ground with their fifth album, The Edge Of Silence. They interpret a wide range of material in surprising ways; songs by contemporary artists are given a Celtic tinge, making explicit their connections with the deep, ultimately Celtic roots of American music. The Edge Of Silence is a moody, noir-ish song cycle with a cinematic feel. Solas weaves together a fascinating body of material including songs by Bob Dylan (the obscure gem "Dignity"), Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods. Also part of the mix are two striking songs by extraordinary new songwriting talent Antje Duvekot, as well as traditionally-rooted original compositions. It all adds up to a seamless and powerful evoking of elemental life forces--love, death, and the unquenchable human spirit.

The Edge Of Silence is produced by Grammy-winning producer Neil Dorfsman and Solas' leader Seamus Egan. Dorfsman has produced artists such as Sting, Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, Bruce Hornsby and Paul McCartney.

Customer Reviews:

Excellant..........2005-03-17

I don't know what those other reviewers are thinking. This is a good CD. its has a lot of heart and some of the songs can at times bring tears to my eyes. I espcially love Prelude 2 and Cloths of Sand. Again, not quite sure what those other people who are condeming this CD were expecting.

Fools!!!.......2005-03-03

Anyone who listens to this album and cannot hear the amazing talent Solas brings to the Celtic table is a fool! This album is a spectacular example of trad/mod enfusion. Deidre's voice is simple, pure and effortless. Win's fiddle is raw and beautiful. Micks fingers are on fire on button and key. And the diversity of the talented Seamus Egan makes for a power house band - sounds strange to use that term with a celtic band but it works for Irish rockers like the Cranberries as well. I am a particular fan of Solas' interp of Bob Dylans Dignity, their version far surpasses the origional. If you are a fan of Celtic music in the slightest, listen to Solas. Check them out at www.Solasmusic.com too! Drop Deidre an email while your there, she loves a fan!

Not for everyone, lovely to me........2005-02-02

OK. Let's get something straight here--this album is not for everyone (notice the header). It's not even for everyone who loves Scots-Irish traditional music. Not that anything is.

For instance: If you want some pretty traditional purely accoustic music, this is not for you. Go seek Solas' earlier works--Sunny Days and Scattered Showers, for instance. Solas have for a while been undergoing a transition process and this appears to be the latest incarnation of that. It's not traditional by any stretch of the imagination. It attempts (and succeeds, i believe) to fulfill the promise made by so many bands over the years but so rarely kept - a mature union of rock and Scots-Irish traditional music. It borrows tunes from modern songwriters like Bob Dylan and Tom Waits and makes them sound very contemporary yet very much a part of the old tradition, like a new song turned into an old song masquerading as a new song. Think fiddles and accordians and electric guitars and synthesizers. Think Riverdance with PMS. Think Wolfstone.

Similarly, if you're really into upbeat music, i wouldn't look for it here. This album...well, it's not exactly "Black as the Night are my Roses", but it's certainly not cheery. The general mood is more like those days when you stand by the window, watching the twilight deepen and feeling inexplicably pensive. Black Annis touches on concerns about child abuse. Dignity and The Poison Jester's Mask feel like sharp commentaries on modern culture. Darkness, Darkness is an ode to oblivion. The instrumentals, while full of Solas' usual bounce and whirl, are almost entirely in minor keys.

If you have a deep appreciation for both rock and Scots-Irish traditional, however, you'll probably find something here to stir your soul. I could laud the musical talents of these folks, but the genius of the band is that Winifred Horan and Seamus Egan found a way to surround themselves with friendly performers as talented as they are; the result is a tight, seamless, take-no-prisoners sort of corporate sound. Beck Street drives forward like a mad dash through the narrowest city alleyways. Who's in the What Now has a synchopated grace that keeps me perpetually off balance. Georgia Lee is stunning in its simplicity. And Darkness, Darkness...let's face it--the Youngbloods never had it so good.

My best advice is to listen to at least one clip of instrumental and at least one clip of vocal music from this album, if you can--you'll know from that if you like it. This is the kind of work most fans of Scots-Irish traditional either love or hate; it's too bold a step to be in between.

I love this CD!.......2004-07-01

A friend of mine is a somewhat-rabid Solas fan, and I finally decided to listen to soundclips of the group's music. Am I ever glad I did. "The Edge of Silence" is absolutely beautiful, a fusion of Celtic and modern music I haven't heard anywhere else (no doubt it exists, but...), and Dierdre Scanlan's voice is lovely. The album includes a few instrumental tracks--2, 4, 7, and 8--and although I enjoyed those I liked the other songs a bit better.

Intense and captivating!.......2004-01-01

There is definitely an edge to this album, as well as a sense of understated silence that speaks volumes. Here, Solas takes a decidedly modern approach to their material, to the point I wouldn't be inclined to categorize much of it as "Celtic" at all. However, whereas "mainstreaming" has been tried by other Celtic groups with less than impressive results, Solas succeeds wonderfully! Originally touted as an example of new "traditional" group, they find a truly convincing and distinctive voice in this more contemporary venue as well. Gripping, emotive and distinctive, their music here truly shines! About half of the tracks on "The Edge of Silence" were written by group members (multi-instrumentalist Sean Egan, fiddler Winifred Horan and accordion player McAuley), while two songs are by guest vocalist Antje Duvekot and the others are well-chosen selections by the likes of Bob Dylan and Jessie Collin Young. Standout pieces include "Who's in the What Now" and "Beck Street", with their a-rhythmic, world-beat styles; the songs "Black Annis" and "Dignity", deceptively pretty tune-wise but with sobering lyrics; and the very cool and engaging interpretations of "Darkness, Darkness" and "Clothes of Sand". All in all, a super job! I can't wait to hear what this inventive and progressive group comes up with next! Try their earlier albums and compare. For more innovative Celtic music with a modern flair, check out the work of the Scottish group "Skyedance" too.

Fits of Passion - High Spirited Celtic Captured By Starbucks

Average customer rating:

Fits of Passion - High Spirited Celtic Captured By Starbucks
Natalie MacMaster, Altan, Mary Jane Lamond, The Pogues Traffic , Lunasa, Karan Casey, Niamh Parsons, Solas, Old Blind Dog Kila , and seamus Egan, Clannad, Patrick Street Capercaillie
Manufacturer: BMG
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000NP2BU4

Average customer rating:

very good i love his look

A Solas
Javier Pastrana
Manufacturer: Caiman Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Nicaragua | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000GVYE
Release Date: 1998-10-13

Tracks:

De mujer a mujer
La insaciable
Tendras que enfrentarte
Ella no sabe
Por que nos separaron
Arrebatame
Rasgandome la piel
Escalofrio
La insaciable (Acoustic Version)
De mujer a mujer (Club Version)

Customer Reviews:

very good i love his look.......1999-03-27

I realy enjoyed his music and I think he has a great look , would like to see more of him

Average customer rating:

An excellent argument for buying tunes on i-tunes
Good lord, this is so terrible!!!!!!!!!
Talitha MacKenzie - Solas
A great modern Celtic album

Solas
Talitha MacKenzie
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Spiorad
Mouth Music
Mo-Di
Seafaring Man
Sunny Spells & Scattered Showers

ASIN: B000000E88
Release Date: 1994-04-05

Tracks:

Hoireann O
Sheatadh Cailleach (The Old Woman's Reel)
'S Muladach Mi 's Mi Air M'aineoil (Mournful Am I)
E Ho Hi
Sing!
The Cave Of Gold
Owen's Boat (O Seallaibh Curaigh Eoghainn)
Ch Mi Na Morbheanna/JFK (Mist-Covered Mountains)
Rol Hol Ill Leo
Funky Bird Medley: Band Of The Ribbons/Dance Of The Ducks
Theid Mi Dhachaigh (The MacKenzie Lullabye)

Customer Reviews:

An excellent argument for buying tunes on i-tunes.......2007-05-08

First, a word about my preferences. I like my Celtic folk straight up, with relatively traditional elements and arrangements. When Talitha MacKenzie stays away from the synthesizer and the drum machine she makes me very happy. She has a lovely voice and she shines in the simplest tracks on this album. Unfortunately, most of the tracks have been arranged as 80s pop tunes, which have not aged well.

This in mind, I recommend the following tracks:
Uamh an Oir (The Cave of Gold -- Mouth Music)
Rol Hol Ill Leo (Waulking Song, Sea Shanty)
Theid Mi Dhachaigh (The MacKenzie Lullabye) -- very lovely.

Otherwise the album is a bust.

Good lord, this is so terrible!!!!!!!!!.......2004-12-18

This album is so incredibly tacky. The arrangements are embarassingly generic and bland... Ugh! It's records like this that give Celtic music a bad name.

Talitha MacKenzie - Solas.......2003-03-26

I purchased this CD by mistake. I am very glad I made that mistake. This is wonderful and like the other reviewer said, a "great way to bring traditional Scots Gaelic songs into a modern context". This is extrememly interesting music, the lyrics beautiful.

A great modern Celtic album.......1999-05-12

I fell in love with Talitha MacKenzie when she was with "Mouth Music". She left to pursue a solo career, and both she and Mouth Music have been going great guns (she was replaced by the amazing Jackie Joyce). This album has some songs originally from Mouth Music's debut album, most notably "Chi mi na Morbheanna", which was played at JFK's funeral. It has been improved with some excerpts form his most memorable speeches (eg. Long Twilight Struggle), making it quite haunting. It also pays to read the words - the spiteful lyrics in "S'Muladach mi" really come through in her voice! The music is upbeat and catchy - a great way to bring traditional Scots Gaelic songs into a modern context. Expand your horizons - I highly recommend buying it.

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Music Review

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