The Chieftains 2
If there's a single early Chieftains album to get, this is it. It ranks among the best of their recordings from the 1960s when the group formed. Though containing fairly run-of-the-mill Irish material, it's far more spirited and inventive thanChieftains 1, thus illustrating the solid foundation of talent that has supported the Chieftains' music since the ensemble's inception. Like the group's first recording, this one is also available as part of the box setFrom the Beginning: The Chieftains 1 to 4, but this particular reissue has been remastered, with spectacularly crisp results.--Genevieve Williams