Altan continue to go from strength to strength. While it seemed for a little while that the 1994 death of founder Frankie Kennedy would tear the band apart, they've ended up a strong, cohesive unit instead, one which continues to push at the boundaries of Irish music, albeit in small ways. But when you're this good -- and they deserve the tag as the best Irish band today, and certainly the most accomplished -- you don't need to make giant strides. They set out their stall with an assured version of "Daily Growing" (better ...
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Altan continue to go from strength to strength. While it seemed for a little while that the 1994 death of founder Frankie Kennedy would tear the band apart, they've ended up a strong, cohesive unit instead, one which continues to push at the boundaries of Irish music, albeit in small ways. But when you're this good -- and they deserve the tag as the best Irish band today, and certainly the most accomplished -- you don't need to make giant strides. They set out their stall with an assured version of "Daily Growing" (better known as "The Trees They Do Grow High") where Maighread Ní Mhaonaigh's duet with Paul Brady recasts the song -- it retains its folk roots, but becomes a living dialogue. "The Pretty Young Girl" brings Dolly Parton into the mix. She might seem an unlikely addition, but she acquits herself very well -- and some of the roots of mountain music are in Ireland, after all. As usual, the band bounces between instrumentals and songs, with equal care given to both, and the fact that this album was largely recorded live in the studio gives it a presence that Altan hasn't managed before, with some real life in Ní Mhaonaigh's dark "Slainte Theilinn" (her fiddle playing is often overlooked because of her glorious voice; with luck, this record should put paid to that) and the jazzy take on "Comb Your Hair and Curl It" that explodes into the reel "Gweebarra Bridge" to close the record. It's fair to say that Altan has never made a bad record, but it's right to say this might well be their best to date, playing to their strengths, shoring up whatever few weaknesses they might have, and letting the music do the talking. ~ Chris Nickson, Rovi
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Add this copy of Blue Idol, the to cart. $3.30, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Blue Note.
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Add this copy of Blue Idol, the to cart. $3.39, good condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Narada.
Add this copy of Blue Idol, the to cart. $3.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Blue Note.
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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 Blue Idol 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 2002 by Narada.
Add this copy of Blue Idol, the to cart. $12.62, like new condition, Sold by Streetlight_Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Cruz, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Blue Note.
