Richard Shindell Reunion Hill
Shanachie 8027 (1997)

On Reunion Hill, Richard Shindell again shows that he is one of the most consistently expressive and eloquent songwriters working in popular music today. There is no filler among his nine originals, which not only unfold their narrative stories with poetic grace, but consistently expose inner truths about the listener, as well. The autumnal "I Saw My Youth Today" is a wistful mirror of the way time can erode innocence that nonetheless, like most of Shindell's songs, offers the narrator a shot at redemption. Physical salvation is the more proximate concern of "The Next Best Western," a grand parable that masterfully blends interstate trucking and metaphysics. The title tune is another of Shindell's historical efforts, a touching tribute to the healing powers of altruism during times of strife. "Beyond the Iron Gate" blends a warm, lilting melody, a timeless love, and a venture into the afterlife.

As Shindell's prose has maintained its consistent edge, his melodic sense has continued to sharpen; tunes like "Reunion Hill" and the appropriately breezy "The Weather" have more in common with Stephen Foster than most of what passes for composition in today's folk market. Shindell used a new producer on this album, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell brings a harder-edged, big band sound that suits the material. His contributions on guitar and fiddle, and Radoslav Lorkovic's magical keyboards merit particular mention. The three covers on the album are Jesse Colin Young's "Darkness, Darkness," Townes Van Zandt's soothing "I'll Be Here in the Morning," and, as an uncredited bonus cut, an uptempo reading of Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home." Besides being splendid vehicles for Shindell's rich baritone, all of these inform the disc's principal themes of finding light in darkness. Another big milestone in what is becoming an unparalleled body of contemporary songcraft. - Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)

Seán Hernon
An Nóra Bheag
Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 123 (1997)

Marcas " Murchú
" Bhéal go Béal
Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 126 (1997)

Two of the latest CDs from Connemara label Cló Iar-Chonnachta offer a little for everyone's taste and are feasts for people who love the flavors and textures traditional Irish music has to offer.

Most serious Irish music aficionados will have heard the box playing of P.J. Hernon or the flute of Marcus Hernon, whether on recordings or at set dances in the west of Ireland. Now a third Hernon brother, Seán, has joined the ranks of the recorded. Mostly a showcase of Hernon's clear and passionate tin whistle playing, An Nóra Beag bounces lightly from jigs to reels to barndances and beyond. Hernon's playing is fluid and supple, and the piano accompaniment by Eugene Kelly is tasteful and solid. The wide variety of influences available to an Irish musician are clear from this disc, as tunes from New Yorkers, Scots and Londoners pepper Hernon's west-of-Ireland repertoire. As an extra treat, Hernon throws in two tracks on which he plays banjo; both are duets with melodeon player Johnny Connolly. While Hernon's banjo picking sounds careful and controlled compared to his whistle playing, the two tunes add a nice touch of variety to the disc. Further spice is added by Peadar " Ceannabháin's interpretations of two Irish songs in the Sean-Nós style. A clear voice, lovely phrasing and pleasing tone make them as enjoyable as all the great tunes.

Marcas " Murchú's " Bhéal go Béal presents beautiful flute music and several Gaelic songs. " Murchú is one of Ireland's great flute players and teachers. He was given his first tin whistle by Francie McPeake III, grandson of the great Ulster singer and piper, and he never looked back. His recording features most of the common tune types in Ireland, including infectious and bouncy jigs, steady hornpipes, blazing reels, mournful airs, mischievous slip jigs, stately planxties, rhythmically complex "Leitrim polkas" and brisk highlands. A particularly nice track includes a previously unrecorded reel by Josie McDermott, played in a crisp, snappy tin whistle style by " Murchú. Like that tune, most of this music will have you bouncing in your chair, tapping your foot, or reaching for your bodhrán. The exceptions are the three Irish-language songs. These are also lovely, and very interesting, too. Two of them, including a version of "The Flower of Sweet Strabane," were translated into Irish from English, a venerable but little-known tradition in Irish song. " Murchú breathes life into them with a good strong voice before picking up his flute to give us another tune. - Steve Winick (Philadelphia, PA)

Warda
Lebanon/Algeria
Hemi sphere 7243 8 55649 2 5 (1997)

One of the Arabic world's top female vocalists, Warda excels at both popular and classical music. Her rich alto voice and interpretive gifts are showcased on this anthology, culled from recent releases on EMI Arabia. Warda's career was forged in Cairo (the center of the Arabic recording industry), but her Lebanese-Algerian heritage has always been central to her work. Small-group pieces with Algerian-style percussion are given pride of place on this CD, although the opening track, which features an Egyptian string orchestra, is a stunner. The liner notes lack translations of lyrics and basic information on musical genres, but the voice — ahhh! - Ellen Collison (Arlington, VA)