Remember the music that was playing during the steerage party in Titanic? That was Gaelic Storm, who on their self-titled debut present an engaging mix of traditional music, dance music, and songs, all performed with energ... more »y and enthusiasm. The album opens with "Hills of Connemara," a fast-paced tune with a long instrumental section before the vocals begin, thus giving you a taste of the considerable musical talent present in this group. "Bonnie Ship the Diamond/Tamlinn" is a fast, almost breathless piece with plenty of dramatic phrasing, while "The Farmer's Frolic" has a swinging shuffle feel. Particularly engaging are the strongly rhythmic "Rocky Road to Dublin/Kid on the Mountain" and the energetic closer "The Road to Liskeard," but it's all strong material that reminds one at times of early Chieftains recordings. --Genevieve Williams« less
Remember the music that was playing during the steerage party in Titanic? That was Gaelic Storm, who on their self-titled debut present an engaging mix of traditional music, dance music, and songs, all performed with energy and enthusiasm. The album opens with "Hills of Connemara," a fast-paced tune with a long instrumental section before the vocals begin, thus giving you a taste of the considerable musical talent present in this group. "Bonnie Ship the Diamond/Tamlinn" is a fast, almost breathless piece with plenty of dramatic phrasing, while "The Farmer's Frolic" has a swinging shuffle feel. Particularly engaging are the strongly rhythmic "Rocky Road to Dublin/Kid on the Mountain" and the energetic closer "The Road to Liskeard," but it's all strong material that reminds one at times of early Chieftains recordings. --Genevieve Williams
Kathleen W. from PARK FALLS, WI Reviewed on 10/10/2009...
Wonderful Irish music and this group is amazing. If you want to be happy, listen to Gaelic Storm!
CD Reviews
Guinness for the Ears
07/31/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Gaelic Storm (not JUST the "party band" from the steerage-class dance sequence in TITANIC) has been rocking O' Brien's Pub in Santa Monica, California every weekend for years... While the CD's is not quite the same as hearing the band along with over a hundred people packed into a fairly small pub, singing along with wide-smiled Rocky Horror-esque enthusiasm, it's a great start, and it's about time these guys got a CD!!While every track on the disc is great, the band really shines on the traditional (OK, let's face it... they're drinking songs... where's your pint?) Irish songs like "Johnny Jump Up", "The Hills of Connemara" and "Tell Me Ma" -- when Patrick Murphy and the two Steves (Wehmeyer & Twigger) add their voices and charisma to the I-can't-stop-my-foot-from-tapping music. Also impressive is Samantha Hunt on the violin, whose nimble fingers bring the "traditional" sound and fury to most of the tracks. W! hile the very nature of the band's music tends to absorb her melody lines into the Irish pub-jam feel of the instrumentals, listen again and you'll be amazed at her skill, and take her away and the band just wouldn't be the same.Nothing compares, however, to seeing the band live. Sunday nights, O' Brien's on Main in Santa Monica, California. Eat light -- leave room for the Guinness."
Magnificent!!!
04/01/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a black American from a small town in Texas. That probably wouldn't qualify me to speak on what moves Gaelic Storm when they play music. I certainly am not qualified to speak on the reality of being Irish in this place and time. There is a magnificent display of beauty here. The solidness of the fiddle, strumming of the mandolin and guitar, and the smoothness of the uilliean pipes speak truely of an inspiration of a time in rural Ireland. This music is clearly breath-taking. Celtic music is a something unique amongst other folk music that makes my blood flow freely throughout my body. Thank you, Gaelic Storm. This is beautiful!"
Still Afloat!
Michael | Placerville, CA USA | 01/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Titanic hotel band didn't go down. Thank goodness. Although the first album is not as consistent as their second, this is a valuable addition to any celtic collection. Spoons! Not to eat with but to play percussion, thanks to Patrick Murphy. Mandolin, a most rare and sweet voice for folk music. Very few bands offer such instruments. Thanks to Steve Twigger in songs such as lead in the Storm and back up in the Bonnie Ship the Diamond, you can hear some of the best on CD. Samantha Hunt on violin in the Farmer's Frolic is excellent celtic frolickin' fiddlin'. Shep Lonsdale adds the African Djembe and Tupan to Stephen Wehmeyer's Irish Bodhran to make this a spicey international mix. This is one of my favorite CD's. I am eargerly awaiting their third CD."
A rating from someone who knows!
T2LOTDGirl@aol.com | Louisville, KY USA! | 01/31/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am an Irish dancer, so I can very much relate tot his music. Irish music that is really entertaining and fun to listen to over and over is hard to come by, but Gaelic Storm pulls it off brilliantly! They are so in credibly talented and their music is so vibrant and easy to enjoy. They take typical Irish instruments and completely jam with them! And it sounds incredible! I have seen Gaelic Storm live and I know all the songs on this CD by heart and I can't wait to recieve their new CD, Herding Cats, in the mail!"
Good stuff
Michael | 02/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Truly some of the best Celtic music I've heard. It is difficult to listen to without moving body parts to the beat."