The Celtonerd belongs to no one's herd! Even though it's spring, when all the other Nerds are returning north, I think I'll head south instead. I'll begin up in Canada, and then make my way to the southern U.S., where a lot of Celtic music is happening these days.

My top pick this time is the Celtic rock band The Fables, from Newfoundland. Although Tear the House Down [self-produced FBL CD 07272] is their debut as a band, the individual members of The Fables have been around the block and back, and all are seasoned (even salty) performers. Probably best known at the moment is D'Arcy Broderick, whose albums with The Irish Descendants won all sorts of accolades, culminating in the coveted Juno, Canada's highest music award. A deep-voiced singer as well as a powerhouse fiddler and mandolin picker, Broderick was the instrumental heart of the Descendants, but creative differences with the rest of the band led to his departure in early 1998. Soon thereafter, he teamed up with Glen Simmons, a brilliant rock guitarist who pioneered the combination of rock and Newfoundland folk in the 1970s with The Wonderful Grand Band. The two enlisted the aid of creative rhythm section Dave Fitzpatrick and Clyde Wiseman, and that of multi-instrumentalist Billy Sutton, and The Fables was born.

Enough history. You want to know how the album is. In a word, it's hot. The band's near-perfect balance of good vocals, acoustic folk instruments, and electric rock sounds is among the best I've heard. Indeed, Tear the House Down compares favorably with recordings by veteran bands from Britain like Steeleye Span; listen to The Fables' version of "Sam Hall" next to Steeleye's, and you'll see what I mean. Brodericks' smooth vocals give the traditional Irish numbers like "Old Woman from Wexford," "Frog in the Well," and "Spanish Lady" a fully realized, professional sound that folk-rock often lacks; this is also true of "Heave Away," a popular Newfoundland sea song that's a nice local touch. The other songs, like "Lazy Tom," "Tear the House Down," and "Dancin' Round the Kitchen," are original country-tinged rock, all of them good. Broderick and Sutton (who has played with local Newfoundland groups as well as with Paddy Noonan's band) are comfortable enough to play Irish music normally as well as at blazing fast speeds. This helps them lay down some nice sets of relatively leisurely music, and insert a truly hell-for-leather break into their version of "Peter Street." Meanwhile, Simmons is adept at both crunchy chording and gently wailing electric guitar solos, adding his touch to the mix even on the most traditional numbers. The result is an album that moves deftly and confidently between rocky folk and folky rock, keeping it consistently upbeat and interesting. Check it out!
[John Hutton/ 183 Gower St./ St. John's, NF, Canada; johnhutton@roadrunner.nf.net; www.thefables.com]