Amazon.co.uk Review
As demonstrated on
All Things Considered, Danu are a resolutely acoustic yet freewheeling Irish traditional ensemble. Their arrangements are often crowned by treble fiddle lines typical of the early Chieftains, but their rhythmic attack, while precisely marked, is less literal and periodically side-swiped by playful bursts of syncopation. Lead singer Ciaran O Gealbhain is a revelation. His vocals, whether in Irish and English, are haunted by ancient sean nos, but also recall The Incredible String Band and the naive sophistication of Brady and Irvine's nonpareil "purple album". He appears as soloist and in unison on the wistful bouzouki-laced "Easy And Free". His approach to the giddy "Uncle Rat" is deft and childlike, but he is romance incarnate on "The Wee Lass On The Brae" and breathes serene, poetic stillness into "Idir Aird Mhor Is Eochaill". Producer Joe McKenna flawlessly captures the sonic ambience of every tune, down to the final afterglow of living drone.
--Christina Roden