CELTIC MUSIC REVIEWS - FEBRUARY 2010
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
CELTIC WOMAN
Songs from the Heart
Celtic Woman have just released their new CD and DVD entitled Songs From The Heart. Whether you listen to the CD or watch the DVD, these five beautiful young singers will enchant you and touch not only your heart but awaken soul memories.
Celtic Woman is the total package: Beautifully dressed and professional to the ground, with each woman possessing beauty, charm and talent.
Celtic Woman has sold over 50 million records worldwide, making it one of the most commercially successful musical acts in the world.
Each song on Songs From The Heart has a special meaning to the Celtic women and are songs that they remember from their childhood. No doubt each person who watches and listens will have their own favourites that bring back memories.
The musical backing support on Songs From The Heart is just spectacular with a 27-member film orchestra, a gospel choir, extreme rhythm drummers, and an 11-piece bagpipe ensemble.
There are 14 tracks on the album: Fields of Gold; Amazing Grace; Nil Sen La; My Lagan Love; When You Believe; The New Ground; Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears; The Coast of Galicia; Non C’e Piu; The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress; You’ll Be In My Heart; Goodnight My Angel; Galway Bay; The Lost Rose Fantasia; and O’, America.
Celtic Woman Songs From The Heart is in fine record stores now and just in time for St. Patrick’s celebrations.
THE MANITOU ROAD
Old Time Country Music with
Barry and Heather O’Connor
My eyes opened wide when I saw the title of this CD: The Manitou Road: Old Time Country Music with Barry and Heather O’Connor.
I was born and raised on the Manitou Road and it brought back some great memories of growing up among all my aunts, uncles and cousins. We were all related at one time on the Manitou Road, which is located in western Quebec.
I don’t think there are many places in Canada that are known by three names: Manitou, Martindale, and North Low.
Manitou was an Algonguin Indian name meaning Great Spirit; Martindale is where St. Martin’s Church is located; and North Low was the mailing address, but it was all on the one road.
Most of the local people from surrounding towns such as Venosta, Kazabazua, Brennan’s Hill, and Low, would always refer to us as being “from the Manitou.”
The Irish settled and cleared the land in this area. They worked hard to build homes, raise barns, build St. Martin’s Church and Killarney School, and to raise their children.
They worked hard but they also knew how to enjoy themselves and at house parties in the area everyone was expected to either sing, step dance, play the fiddle or guitar, or square dance.
One of the most precious gifts that the Irish immigrants passed down to their children was their love for music and song.
On this CD, Barry and Heather O’Connor, who are from the area, dedicated the album to their parents and grandparents.
The music on the Manitou Road is a mixture of Irish songs, fiddle music and country and western music.
There were also some great songwriters who sang about the area and on The Manitou Road, Barry O’Connor has written some songs that are really hilarious. He sings about people who lived there and some of the funny things that they said and did.
Barry wrote the title track The Manitou Road. This song is really about the history of the area. The men would go to work in the shanty to make money during the winter, while the women and children took care of the farm until they returned in the spring.
He also wrote The Old Timers, but the two that I really got a laugh out of were called Get The Friggin Net and Me and Fitz.
There were a lot of great characters on the Manitou Road and I believe Barry O’Connor has them nailed.
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