Lore --- Clannad --- 1996
When I were a lad at school, the very very odd time something interesting would happen down in the gym --- a place I feared and loathed, being a skinny, unfit, specky, not at all sporty and easily embarrassed kid --- would be at weekends when they'd screen movies we could see for free and of course there'd be the expected school play every year. But one year Clannad came to play at the school. Being what, about fourteen at the time I turned my nose up to them. Who the hell are they? I regretted it ever afterwards, especially after "Robin of Sherwood" hit the telly screens and then "Harry's game" made them household names, even though they were already that in trad circles. I've always wanted to get more into their music, so now's as good a time as any.
Leaving aside the obvious albums, the ones with the hits and discounting "Legend" (the soundtrack to RoS) as I've already heard it, many times, I've gone for this one. Why? I dunno. Like the title, it's in the nineties which gives me a better chance to evaluate how they developed after the "big hits", and well that's about it really. First of all, for those who don't know, the band name is pronounced "klawn-odd", coming from the Irish "clann", for family. Yes, the word clan comes from it. Look at that: you're learning things already!
But to the album. Clannad have always been characterised by the angelic voice of Maire ni Bhraonain, also known as Moya Brennan, sister to Enya, and here is no exception as a ghostly atmospheric "Croi croga" (kree crow-ga) opens the album, and no I don't know what it translates to: croi is Irish for heart, so something heart, but Irish was always taught in schools with the least amount of interest or enthusiasm by the teachers, almost as a punishment, so that you just rebelled against it by default and refused to take it in. Some of it has stuck though, and I'll attempt a few of the other titles, though not all (thank god) are in Irish.
"Seanchas" (story I think) is far more upbeat and almost contemporary, with some nice uileann pipes and sax, twinkling piano and lovely vocal harmonies, while "Bridge (that carries us over)" rides on the singular vocal talent of Maire, soft and silky, almost a hymn. Slow and stately, it has a sense of powerful grandeur, some great but restrained electric guitar and low whistles, and those same whistles open, accompanied by low booming slow drums, "From your heart", which if possible slows down the tempo from the previous track. Maire never seems like she's ever in any danger of forcing her vocal; it seems to flow as naturally as water from a rock, slipping down and irrigating the dry land with its honey-soft tones. She really often more breathes the song than sings it, and it's a very relaxing and calming sound. Lovely tinkling piano just adds to the tranquil vibe on this song, and I must admit so far this album is exceeding my expectations by quite a way: not a (as we say) skiddly-idle in sight, ie no reels, jigs or the like.
I'll reserve judgement for a few more tracks, but so far I'd have a hard time categorising this as Irish traditional music. It certainly doesn't fit in with the likes of Planxty et al. At best I'd say newage or just celtic, though "Alasdair Maccolla" (no I don't know who he is! Stop asking me questions!) comes closest with a sort of ceili chant, a kind of nearly bossa-nova beat and probably ranks as the first track I don't like. Bodhrans. Not mad about bodhrans. It's short though, and leads into another soft ballad in "Broken pieces", which again almost sounds like a contempory song with some truly beautiful harp work from Maire. Now, if I remember my half-learned Irish, "Trathnona beag areir" (tra-no-na be-yug ah-rare) means something like a little afternoon yesterday, or something like that. Anyway, it's a lovely little acoustic guitar ballad --- sung in Irish of course, but when you have a voice as beautiful and soulful as Maire's, it really doesn't matter. Conjures up images of the Kerry mountains and the Shannon river with the evening drawing in as the sun sets.
"Trail of tears" has a kind of ominous feel to it, with some choral vocals and nice whistles then it ramps up a little on the back of some sprightly piano and harp, though I could probably do without the predictable "Native American chorus" near the end. Sounding the most like "Harry's game", "Dealramh go deo" (not even going to attempt that one) is another slow atmospheric and hypnotic track, with yet another gorgeous yearning vocal from Maire and a sweeping, lush soundscape laid down by keyboards. Some almost spinechilling vocal harmonies just make the song. A strong vocal then for "Farewell love" and a surprisingly upbeat tone given the title, then the album closes on a lovely uileann pipe and harp instrumental called "Fonn Mharta".
TRACKLISTING
1. Croi croga
2. Seanchas
3. Bridge (that carries us over)
4. From your heart
5. Alasdair Maccolla
6. Broken pieces
7. Trathnona beag areir
8. Trail of tears
9. Dealramh go deo
10. Farewell love
11. Fonn mharta
It's easy to see why Clannad have lasted as long as they have --- thirty years plus now: although they follow the basic traditions of Irish and Celtic music, there's a fairly varied mix in their music --- new age, ambient, folk, even the odd bit of rock or dare I say pop? --- and it all comes together really well. They're accomplished musicians, that much has never been in doubt, and Maire's voice has the capability of transporting you to a calmer time and place, somewhere safe and green and warm, where her voice just washes over you like the sigh of the waterfall in the distance, or the sussurating breath of the wind.
In a word: magical.