Midsummer's Night | Released 1999 | Buy this album now
With possible exception of Altan, Dervish are our premier trad band bringing to both stage and recording studio an intriguing blend of effortless energy serious musicianship and uplifting good humour.
Album Review
Midsummer's Night, their fifth album, is a welcome addition to their catalogue and possibly the first studio album to capture the essence of their live sound in full flight. Despite a couple line-up changes the boys from Sligo, plus vocalist Cathy Jordan, play with a collective, instinctive flow best exemplified on tracks like the opener "Midsummer's Night". Throughout the album they offer a veritable cornucopia of delightful tones and flourishes, with Palmer's Gate, a particularly lively batch of reels that also features some skilful bones praying from Jordan. Dervish also choose their songs wisely, and on tracks like the bilingual "Erin Gra Mo Chroi", the English folk song "There Was A Maid in Her Fathers Garden" and the seductive "Sean Ban" this album captures singer Jordan's gra
ceful way with even the most intricate phrases. Midsummer's Night is superbly packaged with lyrics, explanatory notes and translations of all the songs. It was mastered in Enniskillen by Robyn Robins, keyboardist with Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. Now if that ain't cross-cultural I don't know what is.
Strange days in deed and all the better for that. Jackie Hayden Hot Press
Track Listing
- Midsummer's Night
- Sean Bhain
- Tenpenny Bit
- Sweet Viledee
- Palmer's Gate
- Erin Gra mo Chroi
- Lark on the Strand
- Cairns Hill
- Maid Father's Garden
- Abbeyfeale Set
- An T-Uil
- Bold Doherty
- Out on the Road
- Red Haired Mary
Listen to track samples
