Fleadh
Album: The Cleggan Bay Disaster
Label: Copperplate
Tracks: 13
Website: http://www.fleadh.de

Folk rock is a fairly standard genre over here on the British Isles now, but it really has spread all over the world. What immediately stuck me with this band was curiosity, as I wondered how a German folk band would consider itself as an Irish Folk band.

The answer in the end was: Very easily. Fleadh is a very well refined folk band using a fantastic merge of banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle and booming vocals. Their latest album release 'The Cleggan Bay Diaster' simply does not disappoint.

We get a real feel for Irish music through this album as classic sounding sets such as 'Castle Kelly/Sligo Creek' and 'Tongadale/New Rigged Ship' give us a bouncing reels but with a unique pattern that makes them distinctly recognisable.

The entire album gives us a great taste of the traditional but added spices to really keep you keen for the next set to come on. 'The Cleggan Bay Disaster' to me seems like a manifestation of well known pub sessions, giving that magic feel and atmosphere that you experience when musicians all play in sync.

Just as an extra bonus, the album is not limited to that kind of session music either, generally the vocal songs give us beautifully sounding tracks which is where we really get a feel for the distinctiveness of Fleadh. 'Hill of Plenty' gives us a very strong harmony during the curious of multiple vocals and helps you to feel for the story being told.

Overall an undeniably brilliant album which should be a standard for any folk collection.

Paul Rawcliffe