Niamh Ní Charra

Súgach Sámh - Happy Out

Imeartas Records IMCD002

1. The Limerick Redowa/Going for Water/Oakum's/The Strawberry Tree - redowa waltz, slides;  2. Top It Off/The Glen Road to Carrick/McFadden's Handsome Daughter/The Devil's Ladder - hop jig, reels;  3. Paddy's Lamentation - song;  4. The Bruckless Shore/The Sail-Maker's Wife/Muineira de Pontesampaio - jigs, muineira;  5. Lonesome Eyes - air;  6. Cailleach An Airgid - song;  7. The Belles of South Boston/The Rights of Man/The Moonlight Clog - hornpipes, schottiche;  8. Fonn do Eithne/The Fairy Step - air, slip jigs;  9. Niamh's Joy/An Buchaill Dreoite/The Coleraine - reel, jigs;  10. Sé Fáth Mo Bhurta - song;  11. Knocknaboul/ Tom Barrett's/Sonny Riordan's - Polkas;  12. Bruach Na Carraige Báine - air;  13. The Iron Man/The First Century Reel - strathspey, reel.
Cover picture Readers may recall that when I reviewed Niamh Ní Charra's first CD, Ón Dá Thaobh - From Both Sides, back in 2007, I was a little wary about a young fidder who'd spent 8 years playing in the Riverdance band.  As it turned out, my prejudice was quite unwarrented - it was a lovely record, and I was particularly delighted by her terrific concertina playing.  Now CD No.2 comes along, and already I'm worried again!  So many times I've waxed enthusiastic about a young performer's first record, only to be bitterly disappointed by their second.  Happily, this is not the case here! Indeed, I like this present release even more that I did the previous one.  The concertina playing is equally good, and the fiddling is rather more to my taste.  As a bonus we get three songs here, where there were none on From Both Sidesplay Sound ClipNiamh is a good singer, in a quiet, delicate manner.  This is not usually the sort of singing I like but, somehow, I find her version of it to be very effective.  She manages to communicate her emotions without any too-obvious ploys.  See what you think; here's the start of Paddy's Lamentation (sound clip).

play Sound ClipIn the previous review I concentrated on Niamh's concertina playing, so let's hear some of her fiddling this time; here's a great jig called The Bruckless Shore (aka, Arthur Darley's), though I'm sure I know it by yet another name (sound clip).

The booklet is fairly slight, but tells us much of what we need to know about the tunes and songs, play Sound Clipand displays a little of Niamh's self-deprecating sense of humour.  It's also nice to see that the earlier 'glamour girl' photos have been replaced by ones showing simply a nice looking young woman.  And I;m afraid that I can't let you go without a little bit of that lovely concertina; here with the delightful Limerick Redowa/Going for Water from track 1 (sound clip).

As before, this most enjoyable CD is available from Copperplate, in the UK.

Rod Stradling - 8.12.10

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