I had to exchange a birthday CD so I went to HMV and the only thing I found was The very best of the claddagh years so I grudgingly picked it up expecting the same old (or new) Chieftans. Anyways, I hate to beat a dead horse, but what a difference!
Listening to the first track I figured any second the 3000 piece orchestra would kick in or the tune would morph into somehting infinately faster and jazzier or someone would start rapping. I kept waiting, figuring it would eventually happen considering their tracks are usually at least a couple hours long each, but nothing happened. What a contrast to their newer stuff, I love it. Tubridy makes you wonder what the hell Molloy has been blowing into.
Really shows off their talent, you’re not drowning in ‘arrangements’.
Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9
Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9
Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9 Number 9
I haven’t listened to all their albums, but I have 11 so far. And the worst album is probably Irish Heartbeat, although there’s at least two songs on their I like. The rest on that one is junk, especially Van Morrison singing “She Moved Through the Fair..” Oh God I thought I was gonna die when I heard him sing that… I’d like to hear 1 thru Boneparte’s Reteat though, see what they’re like. But, so far I don’t really have a ‘favorite’ album from them. Too many good tunes on various albums. One of my more favorite albums is The Best of the Chieftains. Even if it is 7, 8, & 9 put together.. Ah well, I could rambel forever about this, so take it easy,
I have No 2 (I love it) and No 9 (getting a bit polished and overly “arranged” though all the playing is superb as you’d expect). I’ve also wasted money on one or two of their more modern offerings, the worst of which is “Long Black Veil.” I have a problem on a lot of their stuff with Moloney’s ego showing through a bit too much (I keep thinking “wouldn’t that sound good without the pipes?”). If you can accept it for what it is, their album “Another Country” is pretty good, but don’t expect too much trad Chieftains!
There is nothing trad about the Chieftains. That was their whole claim to fame - playing trad tunes in a new, non-trad ensemble format. The Chieftains are a good introduction to IrTrad tunes for those of us not raised in the tradition, but don’t mistake the way they play as trad. I like albums 1-9, then there’s a bunch of crap, then Water From the Well. This is all personal taste, though, so don’t come whinging.
I didn’t mean to say that the Chieftains were “trad,” just that their later albums didn’t much sound like the earlier, traditional Chieftains. Loose use of the wordette “trad” by me - sorry.
I think I have Chieftains 1 - 10. Couldn’t bring myself to purchase anything after that. Still, those 1st recordings are a good intro to the music. A lot of folks have gotten a lot of mileage out of those recordings.
I have two CDs by them, loved the first one (live at the whatever, with Nancy Griffith), couldn’t stand the second one, so I sort of started listening to Silly Wizard instead - never looking back. I’ll give them a second chance, then, if I should happen to see an album by them I’ll give it a listen.
Everyone’s referring to them as albums 1 - 11. Which number was The Celtic Harp album? It won a grammy. I’m on there as a 10 year old member of the Belfast Harp Orchestra. Good times.
Huh. I’m always slagging the Chieftains, because I’ve only heard their
modern stuff (I almost screamed when they had Keith Richards
playing Stones licks during “Rocky Road to Dublin”). People looked at
me strangely, and asked “Are we talking about the same Chieftains?”
Maybe I should go find the older albums.
I will guiltily admit to enjoying “Down the Old Plank Road”, though its
popularity caused them to record a second Nashville collaboration that
is awful…
I’ve alays liked Van Morrison, so I liked Irish Heartbeat just fine. On the other hand, Tears of Stone may be the only cd/album I ever returned to the store because I just couldn’t stand it
Each to his own, eh? I thought Tears of Stone was so magic when I first got it - not ITM but a great listen. I guess they don’t claim it’s the ‘real thing’, that’s entertainment, folks. Or Coca-Cola.
I’m into Martin Hayes right now, which is him and A. N Other. Too much guitar for the purists probably but to me: Tasty - check out ‘Crooked Road/Foxhunters’ from the album Under the Moon.
