Solas - Waiting For An Echo - by John Cutliffe

Just a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending two days in a recording studio tucked away in the hills of Tennessee with one my favorite bands ever. Since I first saw them play live in the Swan in London many years ago I have watched Solas become one of the most successful traditional bands in the world. It was interesting to see how they worked together in the studio. Given that the lineup of the band has changed so much over the years it was great to see how Seamus Egan has found people who are not just replacements for those who moved on, but who have become part of the Solas family and add new and exciting things to the music.

So when the new Solas album, Waiting For An Echo arrived from Shanachie this week, it was a short hop from my mailbox to my car stereo. Previous Solas albums like The Hour Before Dawn leave them very high standards to maintain or even surpass but with this CD they have certainly come close.

Once again the CD featured a nice mixture of tunes and songs all done with a love and care that is missing in so much music these days. Opening with a lovely set of reels that include Seamus' own Hanover Reels, a great Mick Conneely tune called John James' Reel and the popular trad tune The Copperplate.

Having lifted the spirits in one good set the album sets about taking us through a myriad of musical moods and flavors with inspired arrangements like that on The Ploughman or the haunting Erin written by the as yet unknown Antje Duvekot.

Seamus hasn't lost his ear for melody either with the gorgeous Ballerina Jig and the quirky Coconut Dog. He also seems to have found a new love for his electric guitar which has found it's way onto many of the tracks but always in the most relevant and subtle ways. Mick McAuley too lends so much to this album with tunes like Doireann's Waltz and his singing on songs like The Night Visit. Deirdre's voice seems stronger and more beautiful than ever on the songs and Eamon's guitar drives the whole CD along nicely.

My favorite tunes so far on my third listen to this CD are Winifred's Steven Campbell's and the beautiful closing track Mi Pequena Estrella and not because she is the only one to have given me a birthday present of Flake brought all the way from Ireland.

Overall this is another great CD from the band, with great arrangements augmented by guest performances from the likes of Chico Huff, Pancho Alverez and Xurxo Nunez. The CD will be alternating with the Duhks new album on my long trips up and down to Nashville for many months to come.

Solas are on tour around America right now and you can get a full list of shows right HERE.