Back to Breizh

Amazon.com
Exuding a defiant lyrical passion that calls to mind Midnight Oil, harpist Alan Stivell delivers a folk-flavored declaration of cultural independence for his beloved Brittany (known as Breizh in the native Breton tongue) on this, his 21st recording. A French province where Celtic roots (and separatist ambitions) run deep, Brittany and its legacy of oppression stir Stivell's soul, and that passion is evocatively, unevenly displayed on Back to Breizh. Creating an ever-changing stew of folk-rock, pop, and Celtic textures, plus a touch of wry trip-hop on "Ceux Qui Sement la Mort" ("Sowing Death on Sea"), Stivell celebrates Brittany's heritage, its historical defenders and unbowed modern Bretons, whose plight Stivell compares to Inuits, Tibetans, and the Québecois on the disc's rousing final track, "Armoricaine." Singing in either Breton or French, Stivell plays the role of rabble-rousing troubadour on Back to Breizh while also including three instrumentals. On one, the memorable "Rock Harp," Stivell uses electronic effects to recast his harp into an instrument whose tone resembles a treated electric guitar. Accordions, bagpipes, female vocalese, a scratching DJ--all are part of a typically unpredictable Stivell concoction that may not win him many new fans, but should earn him the admiration of his long-time followers. --Terry Wood

Tracks:

Vers Les Iles Et Villes De Verre
Reves (Hunvreou)
Ceux Qui Sement La Mort
Arvor-You
Rock Harp
Skoit 'N Treid
Iroise
E Kreiz Hag Endro
Back To Breizh
Harpe De Vies
Brian Boru In French
Armoricaine (Suite)

Amazon.com

Exuding a defiant lyrical passion that calls to mind Midnight Oil, harpist Alan Stivell delivers a folk-flavored declaration of cultural independence for his beloved Brittany (known as Breizh in the native Breton tongue) on this, his 21st recording. A French province where Celtic roots (and separatist ambitions) run deep, Brittany and its legacy of oppression stir Stivell's soul, and that passion is evocatively, unevenly displayed on Back to Breizh. Creating an ever-changing stew of folk-rock, pop, and Celtic textures, plus a touch of wry trip-hop on "Ceux Qui Sement la Mort" ("Sowing Death on Sea"), Stivell celebrates Brittany's heritage, its historical defenders and unbowed modern Bretons, whose plight Stivell compares to Inuits, Tibetans, and the Québecois on the disc's rousing final track, "Armoricaine." Singing in either Breton or French, Stivell plays the role of rabble-rousing troubadour on Back to Breizh while also including three instrumentals. On one, the memorable "Rock Harp," Stivell uses electronic effects to recast his harp into an instrument whose tone resembles a treated electric guitar. Accordions, bagpipes, female vocalese, a scratching DJ--all are part of a typically unpredictable Stivell concoction that may not win him many new fans, but should earn him the admiration of his long-time followers. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

A Charming Visit to Britanny in Music.......2006-08-26

First, read the liner notes in English so you can get a feel for what this beautiful storyteller is singing about, because you are probably not one of the few people who understand the native language of Brittany/Bretagne/Breizh. If you are a music lover who is hung up on lyrics, this may not be the album for you. If you primarily go for the melodies, as I do, then you will have no problems.

The music caught me, as should you, from the first song. The more I play it, the more I notice the even flow from one song to the next - it feels like one long suite. This album is both calming and uplifting at the same time, unlike the "New Age" Celtic music so frequently dripping with mournful whistles and harps that it seems more appropriate for being played at funerals.

This is my first Alan Stivell CD and I will be sure to be buying more as soon as possible.

Vive la Bretagne!.......2000-07-03

Alan Stivell just keeps getting better. 'Back to Breizh' brings him back to his roots in Brittany. But it's a return informed by his recent collaborations with Khaled, Youssou N'dour and other world artists.

The result is an album that sets traditional Celtic themes against a backdrop of other ethnic sounds and influences.Sung in French and Breton (with English translations in print), the lyrics include messages both universal and local. 'Skoit 'n Treid,' for example, calls for protection of the global physical and cultural environment, while the title song is an anthem to Breton nationalism, containing a chorus that spits defiance at French government policy towards Brittany. And in 'Brian Boru' Stivell transforms a traditional Irish martial song into a hymn of peace for Northern Ireland.

All in all it's a remarkable achievement: proof that modern Celtic music is not all pseudo-mystical New Age tweeness!

World Music: