Clannad
 

It's no secret that these are one of my favourite bands and since Enya used to be a member and a few people on here like her music, I am hoping that a few of you may just checkout this band.

Clannad (Gaelic for family) have been in inception for 40 years and although they haven't released an album for over ten years they still remain one of Irelands most popular and iconic bands.

Starting life as a pure Gaelic Folk band playing traditional Irish Folk standards in their original language, the band found fame in the U.K with the only Gaelic language song to reach No1 'Harry's Game' which accompanied a TV series of the same name.

The band then went on to provide the soundtrack to the highly succsessful TV series 'Robin Of Sherwood'. With it's incorporation of myth and mysticism Clannads music fit the series perfectly.

By 1987's album Sirius the band fell into a commercial trap (forced by the record company. Surprise, surprise), making music that unfortunately has been following them ever since with the tag of 'New Age' but the band soon returned to their roots with their next album Anam.

What makes Clannad so timeless is not only the Vocal and Harp work of front woman Maire Brennan whose voice can melt hearts at fifty paces but also the bands steadfast approach to using traditional instruments and continued use of their own native Gaelic language.

If the New Age tag you have heard associated with this band has put you off then I urge you to rethink and listen to a band whose lyrics, instrumentation and ambience is to be applauded and not derided.

One of the very few bands who calm me whenever I listen to them without ever becoming stagnant.

Vids:





Albums:

Clannad II
Magical Ring
Anam
Landmarks

I still don't get how people like Enya and not this band :(

I think for me it's because Clannad has more of an earthy sound, which is pretty much the opposite of what I like about Enya's solo albums. I like how airy and ambient she can be and how lush the arrangements are. Clannad seem to have more of a folksy and barebones approach that just doesn't work for me as much.

I don't like Enya much, but as far as Clannad, I haven't heard them before.. but they do remind me of Caroline Lavelle, who does that same Celtic sound. I don't really dig her stuff enough to go out and obtain it, but I have a little history with Lavelle due to remix stuff but I pretty much view it all in a context of how I could use it to make something else instead of appreciating the current form of it.

Oh yeah I know they sound quite different. I just find Enya's music far too 'floaty' and similar sounding personally (even though I love Ambient music). It doesn't really go anywhere for me. As you say the more organic approach is what Clannad are about and that gets me more.

Could swear I've come across this name somewhere before. Probably on one of them MB comps or something.

Anyway, sounds like my kinda thing. I'll check an album or two out...