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Fiddlesticks is an outstanding acoustic folk group with a lot of
Celtic influence in their music. Fiddlesticks' counterparts would
be Eden's Bridge in the CCM scene, and perhaps Enya to some degree
in the mainstream market. Enya has a more produced sound than Fiddlesticks
does though. Fiddlesticks has put out a great body of work already,
and added this holiday album in 2003. It's a reel good time, if
you'll pardon the pun.
The fourteen track album covers mostly existing material, but each
song receives the Fiddlesticks treatment. Some are turned into danceable
jigs and reels, while others get a more laid back rendition than
one would expect. "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella"
is a good example of this. Mannheim Steamroller's version is uptempo
and one expects Fiddlesticks to follow suit. They slow it down to
almost a ballad. It's good, just not quite what I expected.
This is a good lesson. Expectations and ideas about what constitutes
a good Celtic album should not even enter into the equation. I will
note that this album requires active rather than passive listening.
This is not the album to choose if you're looking for easy background
music. It is however one that will be enjoyed by the true folk and
traditional music fan. The album rates a 4 for musicianship but
a 3.0 for music selection, so we'll make it 3.5 stars altogether.
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Dacia
A. Blodgett-Williams
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1.
Christ Child Lullaby (Scottish carol); The Black Dress (American
traditional).
2. What Child Is This (English carol); Greensleeves Jig (Scottish
traditional); Green Garters (Irish traditional).
3. Gloucestershire Wassail (English carol); Planxty Fanny Power
(Turlough O'Carolan b. 1670); Charming Katy (Scottish traditional).
4. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella (French carol); Maggie Brown's
Jig (Scottish traditional).
5. Good King Wenceslas (English carol); Wenceslas Reel (Kathryn
Davis).
6. Baloo Loo Lammy (Scottish carol), The Jolly Clam Diggers (Scottish
traditional).
7. Wexford Carol (Irish Carol).
8. Our Savior Thee (Tàladh Ar Slanair)(Scottish carol); Christmasse
Comes but Once A Year (English/American carol); The Ale Is Dear
(Scottish traditional).
9. Polka Mazurka (Russian-Polish traditional); Ladino Hanuka (Flory
Jagoda ©1982); Pitkhu Li (Shlomo Carlebach, b. 1925).
10. O Hanukkah (Jewish traditional); Freilach No. 5 (Klezmer traditional).
11. Away in a Manger (American carol); Amazing Grace (American hymn);
The Laird o' Cockpen (Scottish traditional).
12. Auld Lang Syne (Scottish traditional); Eureka Freaka (Kathryn
Davis); Mom's Jig (Jerry Holland ©1995-SOCAN).
13. Misha's Merry Melody (Kathryn Davis);Joy to the World (English
carol).
14. Drummer Boys (FiddleSticks).
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