Paving the way for Celtic Rock
Claud D. Wolf Jr. | Ottumwa, IA United States | 09/15/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As far as I know, this is one of the early attempts to meld Celtic history with rock. And, as far as I can see, it is the best yet. If you don't like this, you won't enjoy the genre, such as it is. Groups like Clannad and Lorena McKennit modernize the old tunes, or create new ones in that mode, but Horslips did a modern retelling of a very old Irish story, the Book Of Invasions, concerning the invasion of Ireland by the Tua De Dannan. I have played this for nearly 2 decades, and it is still one of my reliable favorties. If you like the format, you can't go wrong with this one."
As Enjoyable as Ever
vickiv | NY USA | 11/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I had not heard this music in years. I was listening to the local alternative music radio station and heard Sinead O'Connor singing her version of "My Lagan Love". It took me a minute to place it, then I realized where I had heard it before - Horslips!
This album was played all the time back in the late 70's - it was great then, it is great now - I am so glad I found it on CD."
Perfect conceptalbum, melting folk with rock
J. Talsma | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 07/03/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"What a FINE band Horslips was, now sorely missed, did they prove with this outstanding album "Book of Invasions". After several studio-albums, a double "Live" and an fully acoustic album ("Drive the Cold Winter Away", from which the song with the same title appears here) it was time for something else so the band came up with a conceptalbum. Not entirely new of course because in the midseventies so many bands had put this to the test, with average succes, Horslips also included with "The Tain". So they thought of making a trilogy and together with "Aliens" and "The Man Who Build America" they did so and succeeded. But this one is the more legitime one of the 3-pack and the more authentic in sound and songwriting. This is a unique meltingpot of traditional Irish tunes, ballads, heavyrock, everthing played to the tilt. Amazing and beautiful. I can listen to this over and over. Very well crafted with plenty of original "Irish" folk-instruments, like flute, violin, concertina, acoustic guitar, not to mention the vocal parts. In addition bassguitar, organ and keyboards and heavy distorted guitars. Fingerlicking good, what a great sound and fine songs. Not many bands can compare to this. Listen how some songs have traditional intro's on original instruments, which are shortly picked up by screaming guitars. Strongly recommended."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1