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Track Listings
| 1. Ryestraw |
| 2. The Raven's Rock |
| 3. Tro Breizh |
| 4. Fruitmarket Reels |
| 5. Doc Holliday's |
| 6. Unapproved Road |
| 7. Island Lake |
| 8. Snowball |
| 9. Pontevedra to Carcarosa |
| 10. The Shore House |
Product Description
Songlines magazine #71 - Top of the World album review
Lá Nua is Lúnasa's first foray into the studio since 2006's Sé. It's also the powerhouse quintet's first recording since Paul Meehan replaced original guitarist Donagh Hennessy, and the debut offering on the band's own eponymous label. It arrives appropriately named, the Irish translating as `New Day'. Recorded in the Cooley Mountains home of Brian and Eithne Vallely, parents of Lúnasa's crack uilleann piper Cillian and towering traditional music figures of County Armagh, it's an accomplished and auspicious beginning for the new venture.
Lá Nua seamlessly places traditional and new material alongside processional marches and dances from Galicia and Breton, reels from Scotland and Canada, and carries itself with more than a nod towards East Europe in `Connacht Heifers'. It sounds fresh and revitalised, with Trevor Hutchinson's signature bass to the fore, Kevin Crawford's flute bright and agile, and Seán Smyth's fiddle almost ecstatically lithe and free. Of the new material, it's Crawford's which steals the thunder, his nostalgic flute-led `Island Lake' bewitchingly supple, while his `New Day March' is a perfect, anthemic showcase for a band firing on all cylinders. Vallely's medley `Doc Holliday's' is a brightly varied jamboree boasting a light and sunny three-stroke reel, `Timmy's Place', at its centre. Guest appearances on viola and fiddle by Máire Breatnach, Gerry O'Beirne on ukulele and steel guitar, and from electric guitarist Staffan Astner, add texture and tone of their own to what is - even by Lúnasa's own high standards - an impeccable album.
© Michael Quinn
CD Description
Lúnasa are internationally acknowledged as being the finest traditional Irish instrumental band of their generation. ‘Lá Nua’ is their 7th album. Iconic Irish traditional music ensemble Lúnasa is poised for the release their seventh album Lá Nua (Irish for new day) on Lúnasa Records. The new album—their first studio effort in four years—follows the critically acclaimed 2006 release Sé. Lúnasa have embarked on a year of worldwide touring in support of Lá Nua commencing with a gala performance with Natalie Merchant at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. Lúnasa recorded Lá Nua on location in the beautiful and historical Cooley mountain region of northeast Ireland, which inspired much of the creativity and writing on the album. Of the band, legendary Irish fiddler Kevin Burke says, “Maintaining the unique, intimate qualities of a musical tradition while at the same time meeting and fulfilling the demands of the contemporary music world is a difficult juxtaposition to achieve, yet Lúnasa have managed to accomplish exactly that.” The band began to take shape in 1996 and were an immediate sensation. While in Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald picked up on the excitement, calling Lúnasa, “The most exciting band to emerge from Ireland in a long, long time.” The band is known for their energetic live performances and have previously toured and performed with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Rosanne Cash, and Billy Bragg, among others. The band is one of the featured collaborators on Natalie Merchant’s forthcoming album 'Leave Your Sleep'. Tracks; 1. Ryestraw / 2. The Raven’s Rock / 3. Tro Breizh / 4. Fruitmarket Reels / 5. Doc Holliday’s / 6. Unapproved Road / 7. Island Lake / 8. Snowball / 9. Pontevedra to Carcarosa / 10.The Shore House
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2 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Another Solid Lúnasa Album - Don't Miss "Ciara's Dance"
9 April 2010
Format:Audio CD
I've been following Lúnasa since their second album and have seen them in concert a few times. They are quite a talented group to say the least and always seem to have time for their fans when they come to perform. Definitely check their tour schedule to see them live! You miss half of the fun of their performance without the witty banter. I hope they record an enthusiastic live cd soon.
Last night I purchased this CD for $20 at the North American Tour premier in Michigan. The track that really sold their new album for me was "Snowball" - Ciara's Dance, a piece dedicated to Cillian's daughter. The piece seemed filled with fatherly love and a bubbling over of child-like playfulness. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. "Ryestraw" and "Ponteverda to Carcarosa" are a couple more of my personal favourites from this album. Overall, this is a very laid-back album and another solid entry from this team.
Go n-éirí an bóthar leat . . . with all of the rest, Lúnasa.
Last night I purchased this CD for $20 at the North American Tour premier in Michigan. The track that really sold their new album for me was "Snowball" - Ciara's Dance, a piece dedicated to Cillian's daughter. The piece seemed filled with fatherly love and a bubbling over of child-like playfulness. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. "Ryestraw" and "Ponteverda to Carcarosa" are a couple more of my personal favourites from this album. Overall, this is a very laid-back album and another solid entry from this team.
Go n-éirí an bóthar leat . . . with all of the rest, Lúnasa.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Lúnasa Refreshed
22 Mar 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I regarded Lúnasa's previous album Sé as somewhat tame or subdued compared to their earliest recordings, such as Otherworld; thus, I was more than pleased to obtain Lá Nua, with its high spirit, bright reels, mellow ballads, and rich performances. This album overflows with joy and sweetness, and it was hard to resist kicking up my heels, so I didn't. The sound engineering gives the recording balance, fullness, and presence. Fans of Lúnasa and Irish music will certainly find favor with this album. The four-year interval from the last issue, to take stock and to prepare, was good for the band, because Lá Nua has both maturity and spunk. Every track is a winner. Nicely done!
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