As the album begins, Altan seem to be at tht top of their form, with the first two songs, "Ta aonach amarach" and "Green Grow the Rushes" as good as anything they have ever done. Although nothing else quite matches up to this beginning, the standard is high throughout, with one glaring exception - "Island Girl" is so twee and candy-coated it sounds more like a teenybopping folk/pop boy band, if there were such a thing, than a traditional music supergroup like Altan. Other than that, the instrumentals are excellent as ever and the other songs glowing examples of the band's versatility. Recommended.