As the title suggests, The Hour Before Dawn is a mellower album than any of Solas' three previous efforts. The record is weighted toward the soft and reflective, successfully evoking musically the quiet sunrise atmosphere captured in Didem Atahan's beautiful cover design. "A Little Child," for instance, is a lovely slow air that gives talented fiddler Winifred Horan an expressive solo. "When My Love and I Parted" is hauntingly rendered with wailing strings. Even the union ballad "A Miner's Life," a song that might have been ...
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As the title suggests, The Hour Before Dawn is a mellower album than any of Solas' three previous efforts. The record is weighted toward the soft and reflective, successfully evoking musically the quiet sunrise atmosphere captured in Didem Atahan's beautiful cover design. "A Little Child," for instance, is a lovely slow air that gives talented fiddler Winifred Horan an expressive solo. "When My Love and I Parted" is hauntingly rendered with wailing strings. Even the union ballad "A Miner's Life," a song that might have been played with more verve on the earlier records, is given a very fetching mellow treatment centered around a rare lead vocal performance by guitarist John Doyle. The new mood is a welcome change of pace from the other records, which tended to vary little in tone from one to the next. And even in the quietest tracks, the arrangements are always inventive and detailed, a hallmark of the Solas style. But one can't help missing the explosive dynamism of past efforts. There is no "Maid on the Shore," "Pastures of Plenty," or "Song of Choice," songs that allowed the band to kick into a high-octane performance style unmatched by any of its Celtic peers. The band's song selections are also a little more conservative here than on The Words That Remain, which featured a few experiments with American folk. The one (admittedly significant) exception is "I Will Remember You," a Solas-ized version of the hit pop song that Solas leader Seamus Egan wrote with Sarah McLachlan. It is performed charmingly by new lead vocalist Deirdre Scanlan, who is perhaps not as distinctive or as remarkable a singer as the departed Karan Casey, but nonetheless provides a lovely foundation for the masterful musicianship of her colleagues. The cover, like much of The Hour Before Dawn, reveals new facets of the band's sound. This shouldn't be the only Solas record in your collection, but it's a must-have for serious Celtic music enthusiasts. ~ Evan Cater, Rovi
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Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanchie Records.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $3.00, good condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanchie Records.
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $4.75, very good condition, Sold by Ezekial Books, LLC rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Manchester, NH, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanachie.
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanchie Records.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $6.39, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanachie.
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $6.39, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanachie.
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $22.26, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanachie.
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Barnes; Black/McMahon/Tradi; Doyle/Egan/Solas/Tr; Egan; Egan/McLachlan/Mere; McAuley; Traditional [1] New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of The Hour Before Dawn to cart. $26.40, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Shanchie Records.
