My introduction to this group.
I had heard of Clannad but was not aware of the quality of the work the group produces. This was the first of their CDs I bought and I have been a firm fan ever since. For the most part Maire Brennan dominates the voices when she is taking part. I enjoy her tones and so now buy her solo efforts as well.
This is the Clannad disc I play the most frequenly. The songs, those sung in Irish particularly, have the sometimes ethereal quality I associate with the group.
Best Introduction to Clannad
While their "Best of" album PastPresent is often regarded as a good introduction to this Irish band, I actually think that Macalla is probably the quintessential Clannad album. It's got all of the elements that a Clannad fan appreciates -- the traditional Gaelic lyrics set to a lush, synthesized background, and the Fleetwood Mac style laid back guitar-driven rockers both. If all you've ever heard from Clannad is the omnipresent "Theme to Harry's Game" (from millions of commercials and movies) then check out this album next. You won't be disappointed.
My First Clannad
This was my first Clannad album and I think it makes an excellent introduction to both the band and celtic music. It starts with the haunting and erie sound (Caislean Oir) that celtic music is rightfully famous for. And later shows it's happy side with Journey's At An End. All together a fine album
A fascinating adventure to the land of the Celts
Clannad is an Irish group including lead vocalist Maire, her two brothers and two uncles. They've been playing together for more than 20 years: their music is as enduring as their relationship. They play acoustic-based traditional music, electrified contemporary music, and every variation between. Macalla is heavy on the contemporary side. Maire's lead vocals are at the center of Clannad's sound: her voice is powerful, maidenly and contains an attractive vibrato. Her solo (almost) ballads sung in Gaelic 'Caislean Oir' and 'Buachaill On Eirne' are especially beguiling. The overall sound of Macalla is rich with electric instruments and synthesizers, multi-layered vocals and a large group of backing musicians. The exotic flavor of Macalla is the result of the group's Celtic heritage. The mythological age of the Celts is mysterious, haunting, majestic and spiritual. This characteristic is so strong on several compositions (Almost Seems Too Late To Turn & Northern Skyline) that they seem a radical but sensuous departure from contemporary music. For a fascinating adventure to the land of the Celts, try Macalla.
Appealing Blend of American Pop and Irish Folk
My first adventure outside the world of American popular music was Celtic music. Not a great gamble since American and Celtic music share a common language - English (usually), and the elements of melody, harmony and rhythm are essentially the same. Clannad is a family band. Lead vocalist Maire (Enya's elder sister) and her brothers Paul and Ciaran Brennan, and their uncles Padraig and Noel Duggan first began playing together in Donegal, Ireland more than 30-years ago.Like the Celtic religion, the music of Macalla evokes the grace of the mythological age. Marie's trained voice is a gifted instrument of clarity, timbre and beauty. Her sound is haunting and ethereal. Only two songs (the majestic 'Caislean Oir' & 'Buachaille On Eirne') are sung in Gaelic. The other compositions are an appealing blend of American pop (heavy on the pop) with touches of traditional Irish folk influence. Particularly pronounced is the use of electric instruments and synthesizers. Bono drops in for a heartrending duet with Maire on 'In A Lifetime.' Lovers of tradition Celtic folk may be disappointed with Macalla's heavy-handed mainstream pop sensibility. For Americans who are willing to expand their musical horizons, Macalla is not such a great leap into the unknown, but short distance to the captivating world of Clannad's Celtic-Pop.
Macalla is hands down one of the strongest albums of Irish family band Clannad. Mournful, delicate, and deliciously down tempo, Macalla bridges the early traditional folk of the band with their later pop leanings, twining largely acoustic accompaniment with lead vocalist Maire Brennan's reflectively pliant pinings. Where early work was all sung in Irish, here all but two tunes are sung in English, effectively blending rooted Celtic musicianship with a more mainstream sound, helped along in no small part by a guest spot from U2's Bono on the evocative pop ballad, "In a Lifetime." Though early era fans may be put off with protestations of sellout, Macalla, next to Anam, is likely the record most appealing to fans on either end of the Clannad spectrum. --Paige La Grone
