Fused
In the history of Irish traditional music, there aren't many musicians who have incorporated trumpets or saxophones into their sound. In the 1930s, fiddler Paddy Killoran's Pride of Erin Orchestra was made up of trumpets and clarinets, among other instruments, an ensemble that was quite suitable for dancing. Michael McGoldrick continues where Killoran left off, adding to the brass band electric guitars, contemporary percussion (including a full drum set, tabla, and triangle), keyboards, and programming. This certainly makes Fused an album likely to inspire dancing, but it's not so easy to listen to. The overload of instruments, beats, and sampling distracts from the traditional reels and jigs. McGoldrick, who mostly performs on flutes, whistles, and uilleann pipes here, plays some nice trad tunes-"The Roaring Bar Maid" and "Otter's Holt" come to mind. He includes plenty of original compositions, like "James Brown's March" and "Hip Agus Hop"--titles that are representative of the recording's overall sound. McGoldrick gets a little help from Dezi Donnelly, Alan Kelly, and Manus Lunny, all notable musicians in their own right. The best track, "Donal Og," features the incredible vocals of Karan Casey (ex-Solas). -Allison M. Brock --From Rhythm Magazine