And while we're on the subject of girly music, well what's less girly than two mother****ing huge armies kicking the living **** out of each other? Oh yeah, forgot to mention: they're gods. Ragnarok? A mere disagreement. When you piss the Irish off you had better have your best running shoes on!
All of which leads us to this incredibly underrated, ignored and really hard to buy album released by two unknown musicians back in 1989. Based on the series of paintings by Celtic artist extraordinaire, Jim Fitzpatrick (he who made that iconic drawing of Che Guevara from the photograph), "Erinsaga" is a retelling of the wars between the Celtic gods and their arch-enemies, the Fo Moir, or frost giants, back when the world was, you know, new.
Erinsaga --- Ken Kiernan and Ger McDonald ---1989
With a mixture of progressive rock, Irish traditional, some ambient, drone and other influences, this album is full of great tracks which are alike and yet so unalike. Compare "I am Tuan", the opener, to "The dream of Nuada" or the instrumental "The last battle" to the title track. Each song, each piece of music tells a story that go together to form, well, a saga of Erin (Erin being Ireland, for those of you who don't know). I posted a track from this in the ill-fated "Weekly mixtape" run by Rezz a while back and was surprised how many people liked it. Not because it's not good, but because I thought few of you would get it.
You don't have to be into mythology, Irish or otherwise, to enjoy this album, but it does help if you know your legends. Mind you, it's almost a myth itself, virtually deleted from the independent label's catalogue, and for a long time the only way I could hear it was on vinyl. I couldn't buy a CD for love or money. Finally my chance came and I got it, so for anyone wanting to experience the album I uploaded it two years ago to YouTube, and to my knowledge it's still there.
If you're looking for something different, something to maybe surprise you and make you think, you could do worse than this album. It really is the best kept secret in Irish music: if you search "Erinsaga" you'll find a lot about Jim Fitz, but barely anything about this album, which is a real pity, as it's a total credit to Irish musicianship and storytelling.
Another one I regularly play, and forget how great it is. Have to be in my top ten all time favourite albums, if I ever ranked them.
TRACKLISTING
1. I am Tuan
2. The Vision
3. Belgatan (Our will is strong)
4. Tailltu's lament
5. Crom Cruach
6. The dream of Nuada
7. Battle-frenzy
8. My love is yours
9. The last battle (Moytura)
10. Erinsaga