the bright young folk review
Lunasa are Kevin Crawford, Trevor Hutchinson, Paul Meehan, Sean Smyth and Cillian Vallely. Between them, they play whistles, guitar, double bass, uilleann pipes, fiddle bouzouki and mandolin. Lá Nua (Irish for “new day) is their 8th album, and is entirely instrumental.
Energy oozes out of every track. Most are sets of three, usually contrasting tunes, using different combinations of the instruments to vary the texture.
The album opens with Ryestraw, a set of tunes guaranteed to get the toes tapping. The next, “The Raven’s Rock” begins with a haunting melody on the whistles, but develops into a pair of lively reels. Celtic links with France are referred to in “Tro Breizh”, named after a pilgrimage which links the towns of the seven founding saints of Brittany, and consists of three Breton tunes. “Fruitmarket Reels” and “Doc Holliday’s”, continue the lively mood of the album at this point.
With “Unapproved Road” and “Island Lake”, the tunes take on a gentler feel, while losing none of the energy that has gone before. “Snowball” picks up the pace again with tunes on the beautiful sound of the uilleann pipes. “Pontevedra to Carcarosa” demonstrates more Celtic links with mainland Europe, this time with two towns in Northern Spain. “The Shore House”, a set of reels, finishes the album off in grand style.
A fine album, and perfect music for those sunny afternoons at festivals.
Shelley RaineyReleased on Lunasa Records, 19 July 2010
1. Ryestraw
- The New Day March (Kevin Crawford - SGO)
- Ryestraw (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- An Old Woman Would (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
2. The Raven’s Rock
- The Raven’s Rock (Cillian Vallely - SGO)
- Ruby’s Reel (Kevin Crawford - SGO)
- The Beehive (Nollaig Casey - IMRO)
3. Tro Breizh
- Tadin-Tinaketa (Y. le Bihan / G. le Bigot - unknown)
- Marche des Charbonniers (Pol Jezequel - unknown)
- Ridées Six Temps (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
4. Fruitmarket Reels
- Joe Tom’s (John Faulkner - IMRO)
- Supernose (Gabe McVarish - MCPS)
- Buntata’s Sgadán (Allan McDonald - MCPS)
5. Doc Holliday’s
- East Village Days (Cillian Vallely - SGO)
- Timmy’s Place (Cillian Vallely - SGO)
- Doc Holliday’s (Cillian Vallely - SGO)
6. Unapproved Road
- Brady’s (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- Connacht Heifers (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
7. Island Lake
- Tune for Dad (Kevin Crawford - SGO)
- The Island Lake (Kevin Crawford - SGO)
8. Snowball
- Ciara’s Dance (Cillian Vallely - SGO)
- Burning Snowball (Johnny McCarthy - unknown)
- Road to Reel (Tommy Cunniffe - unknown)
10. Pontevedra to Carcarosa
- Marcha Processional du corpus de Pontevedra (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- Pasacorredoires ’de Mustad a Millares’ (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- Muniera Carcarosa (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
11. The Shore House
- Inverness County Reel (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- The Beauty Spot (Trad Arr. Lúnasa - SGO)
- The Shore House Reel (Kevin Crawford - SGO)
