Bridget St. John "Ask Me No Questions" (Dandelion Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by John Peel)

Bridget St. John "Songs For The Gentle Man" (Dandelion Records, 1971) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Geesin)

Bridget St. John "Thank You For..." (Dandelion Records, 1972) (LP)
If Nico, the much vaunted vocalist for the Velvet Underground, had been a flower-power hippie instead of a proto-goth fashion plate, she and Bridget St. John would have gotten into one hell of a trademark infringement lawsuit... St. John was not, it must be said, a classically "pretty" singer. Rather, she was sort of a folkie precursor to the whole DIY ethos, where it doesn't matter as much how you sound as what you feel. She sang hollowly, difficultly, with halting and painfully earnest phrasing, and also at times with great beauty. Her style is not for everyone: if you want your "girl" singers to sound tidy and perfect, this might not be for you. On the other hand, if you are intrigued by the thought of a gal who kind of sounded like Tim Buckley, this could be a real eye opener. In a sense, St. John picked up where Anne Briggs left off, albeit with fuller arrangements and less vocal oompf.

Bridget St. John "Jumblequeen" (Chrysalis Records, 1974) (LP)

Bridget St. John "Take The 5ifth" (Road Goes On Forever, 1996)

Bridget St. John "A Pocketful Of Starlight: The Best Of Bridget St. John" (Cherry Red Records, 2010)

Bridget St. John "BBC Radio: 1968-1976" (Hux Records, 2010)
A 2-CD set...

Tommy Sands "Down By Bendy's Lane: Irish Songs And Stories For Children" (Green Linnet Records, 1987)

Tommy Sands "Beyond The Shadows" (Green Linnet Records, 1990)

Tommy Sands "Singing Of The Times" (Green Linnet Records, 1985)

Tommy Sands "The Heart's A Wonder" (Green Linnet, 1995)

Tommy Sands & Vedran Smailovic "Sarajevo To Belfast" (Appleseed Records, 1999)

Tommy Sands "To Shorten The Winter: An Irish Christmas With Tommy Sands" (Green Linnet Records, 2001)
A Celtic Christmas album from this singer-songwriter icon of Northern Ireland... A little too soft and cloying for me, particularly with the children's chorus that kicks off the very first song (and woefully reappears on subsequent tracks). Not my style o' Celtic folk... though it is worth noting that most of these songs are Sands originals, so those of you looking for new holiday tunes to add to the canon, this may be a rich source of material.

Tommy Sands "Let The Circle Be Wide" (Appleseed Records, 2009)
(Produced by Tom Newman & Colum Sands)
A dense, lovely, and complicated record, with one of Ireland's best respected folk songwriters mulling over and celebrating the recent resolution of the centuries-old conflict between the English and the Irish, and the end to the "Troubles" of the last few years, in which seemingly endless sectarian violence tore the island apart. The album is lovely because of its musicianship -- in addition to a host of talented trad players, such as guitarist Arty McGlynn, Sands is also joined by members of his family, including his son and daughter, who contribute a nice family-harmony feel to the vocals, as do other members of the Sands Family band. The record is complicated, even vexing at times, because of the politics involved -- Sands' joy at the end of violence is radiant and sweet, but there is also a trail of lingering pot-shots and little I-told-you-so moments. The bloodshed between Catholics and Protestants may be at an end, but there seems to be an inevitable temptation to get the last word in, even while breathing a sigh of relief. Also, to outsiders the history and baggage of these moments can be hard to penetrate or accurately assess; although the album feels significant, it may also seem puzzling and hard to crack. This denseness also applies to Sands' wider appeal for peace and justice outside of Ireland. His September 11th-related song, "Time For Asking Why," begins with a strong, gut-level emotional response to the horrors of the day -- familiar to us all -- but quickly moves into a probing left-wing critique of the social and geopolitical inequalities that may have led to the attacks to begin with. This line of reasoning might play well abroad, but many Americans, even liberal folkies, will have a hard time with the emphatic connect-the-dots message -- indeed, this is a very political album, and like many political folk records, can feel a bit forced from time to time. But it also sounds beautiful, and has a soulful feel that will draw listeners to it for years to come -- Sands has put his passion on the line -- both spiritual and social -- and that's really about all we can ask of any artist. Definitely worth checking out, though it may take a while to fully sink in.

The Sangsters "Begin" (Greentrax Records, 1995)

The Sangsters "Sharp And Sweet" (Greentrax Records, 2000)
A nice, no-frills set with four-part harmonies and simple, sweet playing by this understated, middle-aged Scottish quartet. I think they are strongest on the a capella tunes, or those where the group sings together, but all in all, this is a fine album. Includes well-known oldies such as "Parcel O' Rogues" and "Barabara Allen," as well as tunes that are much farther off the beaten track. Not mind-blowing or overly magical, but unpretentious and authentic; certainly worth a spin.

Maggie Sansone "Music In The Great Hall" (Maggie's Music, 1992)
Generally speaking, I'm not overly fond of either the hammered dulcimer or the Celtic harp as lead instruments, and this set of all-instrumental tunes has plenty of both. Far too sugary for me; the soft kind of music that plays in touristy, Celtic-themed card stores and gift shops... Not to be snarky or anything, but I'll pass.

Vivian Quinn Sayles "California Celtic" (Delish Records, 2000)
An interesting mix of Celtic and chamber music, from an understated Northern California ensemble. Pianist/composer Sayles leads the sextet, in which violin and cello figure quite prominently, and she wrote all the tunes as well, sometimes nudging them into lightly jazzy terrain... It can sound a bit prim, but mostly it's pretty engaging. Worth checking out if you're looking for something new and off-the-radar.

Vivian Quinn Sayles "Live: The Music Of Vivian Quinn Sayles" (Delish Records, 2000)

Scotch Measure "Scotch Measure" (Topic Records, 1985) (LP)

Peggy Seeger - see artist profile

Susana Seivane "Susana Seivane" (Green Linnet Records, 2000)
An outstanding set of Spanish-Celtic instrumentals from the Northern province of Gallicia... The ensemble is led by piper Susana Seivane, who plays the local bagpipes, known as the gaita, and while there are several tunes where the musical backdrop is a bit cloying, her performances are dazzling and heartfelt throughout, particularly on the faster numbers. If you like the band Milladoiro, you should really check this gal out.

Sharon Shannon "Sharon Shannon" (Compass Records, 1991)
Galway legend Sharon Shannon's groundbreaking 1991 solo album... one of the best-selling Celtic trad albums ever! As a relative newcomer on the Celtic trad scene, this sweet-toned accordionist/fiddler was in the midst of gigging with Christy Moore and the Waterboys when she took some time off to record this swell set of instrumental tunes, along with more dazzling guest stars than you could imagine... The material ranges from traditional reels and such, to bouncy (not-too-poppy) crossover material, and one or two nice surprises of non-Celtic origin. If you like instrumental albums, this one is pretty hard to beat.

Sharon Shannon "Out The Gap" (Solid/Compass Records, 1994/2005)
(Produced by Denis Bovell)
The pride of Ireland's Country Clare, accordionist Sharon Shannon started her professional career in the late 1980s in the renowned rock-folk band, The Waterboys. She soon set out on a solo career and wowed crossover-friendly world music fans with albums such as this one, recorded with reggae producer Denis Bovell. This is her second solo album, a sprightly, cheerful, yet ultimately lightweight and unchallenging set of Celtic-fusion instrumentals, basically trad-based, but with flourishes of reggae, pop and classical styles woven into the sound. Shannon is a superior musician, with dazzling technique on both button and bow, but this is music that was made to sit in the background, and doesn't really move me. No onerous synths or outlandishly "pop" arrangements, and a welcome softening of the standard severity of the trad style, but still a bit cotton-candy-ish and bland. ( The 2005 reissue includes a dub reggae remix of one song, "The Mighty Sparrow.")

Sharon Shannon "Each Little Thing" (Green Linnet/Compass Records, 1997/2005)
Donal Lunny, Winifred Horan and Kirsty Maccoll are among the talented folks who pitch in on this lively, bouncy outing. It's a skillful album with plenty of nice playing and a strong melodic thrust... Yet, there's also a crossover-y modernization at work, which may either enhance or detract from the music, depending on your personal tastes. I suppose I fall a little onto the crusty, crabby old-timer side of the divide, although this is one of the best albums of its kind that I've heard. Shannon's deft, sprightly playing is still a treat, though there are a few milky, meandering moments -- flowery key changes and the like -- which sort of ruin it for me. It's one of those things where you have to shrug and say, "well, I guess the music has to evolve, and there are some folks out there for whom this is the only way it's listenable..." But there still seems to be something a little bit off about it. Works as background music for me, but if I stop to think about what I'm hearing, it kind of gets on my nerves. (The 2005 reissue includes a remix of one song, "Bag Of Cats.")

Sharon Shannon "The Diamond Mountain Sessions" (Compass Records, 2001)
A nice album, with Shannon hosting an all-star guest-fest including Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Galician bagpiper Carlos Nunez, John Prine and even a surprisingly sweet track with the fellers from the Hothouse Flowers. Some of the instrumental work is a bit dodgy, with lamentable, predictable modernizations... But the vocals tracks, particularly Earle's take on "The Galway Girl" and several of the Nunez-Shannon collaborations, are pretty cool. A vigorous, substantive outing, worth checking out.

Sharon Shannon & The Woodchoppers "Live In Galway" (Daisy Records, 2001)
A fine live set, played in front of a hometown crowd in Ireland's coolest city. The best part is that, having been separated from the studio, Shannon and her cohorts are thrown back on their musicianship at its simplest and most elegant, ie., they have to just play acoustic and let go of all the fancy-pants stuff that makes some of her records a bit sketchy-sounding at times. This is really quite nice, and shows her in the best light, at least from a tradder's perspective.

Sharon Shannon "Libertango" (Compass Records, 2003)

Sharon Shannon "Tunes" (Compass Records, 2005)

Sharon Shannon "Live At Dolan's" (Daisy Records, 2007)

Sharon Shannon "Renegade" (Daisy Records, 2007)

Sharon Shannon "Saints And Scoundrels" (Compass Records, 2010)
(Produced by Sharon Shannon, Keith McDonnell & John Dunford)
If you put this record on for your average Celtic music fan (assuming there is such a thing) and didn't tell them anything about it, I doubt many listeners would guess that this was an album by Irish accordion wizard Sharon Shannon. A robust, lively mixture of styles, with lusty jug-band blues and rollicking roots-Americana -- along with a healthy dose of Celtic craic -- this album is a radical departure from most of Shannon's earlier work. Sure, the adventurous, acclaimed Ms. Shannon has never shied away from blending genres or stylistic experimentation, but this energetic, joyful set dips deep into the wellsprings of American country and blues, and really brings out a new side to her work. Guest artists include a group called The Cartoon Thieves, as well as Shane McGowan (of the Pogues) and Mike Scott and the Waterboys, who Shannon toured with for many years. It's quite a nice album, with a boisterousness and sense of fun that's completely infectious... Definitely worth checking out!

Sharon Shannon "Spellbound: The Best Of Sharon Shannon" (Green Linnet Records, 1999)
A nice retrospective of her work from 1991-99, including some new tunes... You can hear Shannon's work move from straightforward trad to sleeker pop fusions, but all the while she retains a high level of musicianship. This is as fine an introduction to her work as you could hope for...

Sharon Shannon "The Sharon Shannon Collection: 1990-2005" (Compass Records, 2005)
Irish accordionist Sharon Shannon is one of the great modernizers in contemporary Celtic music... This 2-CD set greatly expands on her previous best-of collections, adding a second disc's worth of collaborations with pop, folk and country stars, including Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Donal Lunny, Sinead O'Connor, John Prine and the late Kirsty MacColl. A lot of these performances have been featured on earlier albums, but here they are gathered on a separate disc; the first CD has a wide selection of Shannon's innovative solo work, including five new tunes. Shannon tilts back and forth between traditional-sounding folk and boundary-pushing Celtic-fusion... She may make more conservative folk fans grumpy, but listeners looking for innovation have rallied around her for years. Regardless of where you stand on her aesthetic choices, it's hard to fault her technical expertise -- Shannon is one of the most dazzling players in Celtic music today.

Sharon Shannon "Galway Girl: The Best Of Sharon Shannon" (Daisy Records, 2008)
A nice overview of this dynamic Irish accordion player, covering her early work along with her more recent, experimental pop-folk fusions.

Shantalla "Shantalla" (Green Linnet Records, 2000)
The debut album by a band that drew many rapturous comparisons to the Bothy Band... At first I scoffed: I think those early Bothy albums set a pretty high standard, and they had an intensity to them that the opening tracks on here seemed to lack... then things started to heat up midway through the disc, and the Shantalla folks started to cut loose a bit. Judge for yourself: depending on your temperament, these tightly synchronized performances may be either a pure delight or "more of the same" as far as Celtic trad material goes. It's mostly instrumental, with a few vocal tunes featuring singer Helen Flaherty, and while it is slickly produced, it isn't all washed out and fusion-y -- at least they play things straight, and stick to all-acoustic arrangements.

Eilidh Shaw "Heepirumbo" (Greentrax Records, 1997)
A nice set of low-key fiddle tunes from this talented member of The Poozies (and several other Scottish bands). Shaw has a cool way of producing a little whispering hiss with her bow... and a nice understated sensibility that I find quite appealing. Recommended, particularly for fans of, oh say, Martin Hayes or Liz Carroll.

Don Sheperd "Adnams Ale" (Sweet Folk 'N' Country, 1978) (LP)

Shooglenifty "Venus in Tweeds" (Greentrax Records, 1995)

Shooglenifty "A Whisky Kiss" (Greentrax Records, 1996)

Shooglenifty "Live At Selwyn Hall" (Womad Records, 1996)

Shooglenifty "Solar Shears" (Compass Records, 2001)
Super-modernist pop-fusion/techno/world beat Celtic material, but also pretty playful and fun, once you're willing to get on their wavelength. These Scottish fellas play breakdowns and reels with drum machines and synth-sounding sonic washes buoying the fiddle's rasp, and endow their songs titles like "Bjork's Chauffeur" and "The Hijab" (one of several tunes that have a sort of an Arabic tinge...) True traditionalists will loathe such experiments, but for anyone looking for creative approaches to defining a modern, new Celtic sound, this is certainly worth checking out. Similar in approach to Germany's Dissidenten (though perhaps a bit smoother in execution)... Imaginative and consistently engaging.

Shooglenifty "The Arms Dealer's Daughter" (Compass Records, 2003)
Another album that follows pretty much in the same direction as their earlier work, although this one strikes me as a bit on the breezy, too-pop, Muzak-y, side of things. Sort of like a Celtic Bela Fleck album... Put tactfully, I don't think I'm really the target audience for this one.

Shooglenifty "Radical Mestizo" (Compass Records, 2005)
The second live album by this Celtic/world fusion ensemble. The acoustic parts are nice (mandolin, etc.) and there's an interesting strain of Balkan/Arabic melody running through much of the album. The more clunky rock/funk aspects don't do much for me, though. This album doesn't break new ground as far as the band is concerned, but it is a nice showcase for their musical chops and stylistic breadth; it's also nice to hear they play outside of the studio, where they are less tempted to go overboard with the fancy rock-funk crossover gimmicks.

Shooglenifty "Troots" (Compass Records, 2007)

Shoormal "Migrant" (Greentrax Records, 2003)
Too-smooth, folk-pop material, with not that much trad in it. Shetlanders, but not so's you could really tell. From a tradder's perspective, this is pretty skippable.

Shoormal "Turning Tide" (Greentrax Records, 2006)

Sileas "Beating Harps" (Green Linnet Records, 1987)

Sileas "Play On Light" (Green Linnet Records, 1999)
The Scottish duo of Mary MacMaster and Patsy Seddon, who have also played in the Poozies and Clan Alba. I must confess, I'm not overly fond of the Celtic harp... it's one of those instruments, like the soprano sax, that lends itself to just one kind of musical experience, and is very difficult to place inside a new context, so that you can hear something new in the instrument itself. To their credit, while Sileas are drenched in the sugary confines of the harp, their vocal work -- two female voices singing harmony in Celtic -- do help in this regard. This is still too goopy for me, but there is a depth and a pleasant feel to this music that certainly makes this disc worth checking out.

Silly Sisters "Silly Sisters" (Topic/Shanachie Records, 1976) (LP)
What a wonderful record. One of the greatest '70s trad albums... Maddy Prior and June Tabor's voices and musical sensibilities are a perfect match, and the material they chose is also a delight. The elusive English traditionalist Nic Jones plays fiddle or guitar on most of these tracks. (Followed up by the 1988 album, No More To The Dance... Highly recommended.

Silly Sisters "No More To The Dance" (Shanachie Records, 1988)
A nice follow-up to their first legendary pairing, although this time around the music is a bit glossier and less strictly trad. A couple of songs go over the line for my personal sensibilities (into "new age-y" territory) but these tunes are definitely the exception. On the whole, a lovely album. Includes a fine version of Colm Sands' delightful cautionary tale, "Almost Every Circumstance"... Worth checking out.

Silly Wizard - see artist profile

Martin Simpson - see artist profile

Sin'e "Deep Water Dropoff" (BMG/Wicklow Records, 1999)
Yikes. Pretty tacky, jazz-tinged, world-beat-y crossover material, with undulating, amorphous soundbeds, ostentatious use of congas (and what sound like tablas) and many an irritating key change and production touch. Plus, the bovine, Gothish vocals of singer Taz Alexander give me a sweet pain: she has a terrible voice. Besides all the horrid aesthetic choices, this band also seems to have little natural flow, their performances sound rigid and unrelaxed... That may be because so much of it is a studio creation: the meter is kept all-too perfect, and the fiddling, etc. is just one more tightly contained element in a stiffly constructed, high-tech musical morass. Trust me: this is a horrible, horrible album, one that you are well-advised to stay away from. I feel like I need to flush my ears out now. Yuck.

Sin'e "It's About Time" (Rhian Records, 1999)

Skara Brae "Skara Brae" (Gael-Linn Records, 1971) (LP)
The lone album by this charming (and high-powered!) Irish folk group, which featured three musical siblings -- Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill, Mícheal O Domhnaill and Triona -- along with guitarist Daithi Sproule. All four musicians went on to become pillars of the Celtic music scene: Michael and Triona co-founded the Bothy Band (and several later groups as well), Maighread sang with Triona and on several solo albums, and Daithi Sproule helped anchor the Altan band in the 1980s and '90s. On this early album, the college-age group sang all in Gaelic, performing with gusto and youthfulness -- the performances are a little uneven and rough-hewn, but the raw power of the artists is clear, and the repertoire is a delight. An important early touchstone for the Gaelic trad scene, and a lovely album still... Definitely worth a spin!

James Scott Skinner "The Strathspey King" (Topic Records, 1975) (LP)
An impressive archival set of turn-of-the-Century fiddle tunes by Scottish composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), whose professional career began in the 1860s (!) and spanned through the early years of the vinyl record industry. Skinner was a volatile figure and prolific composer who mixed classical elements with traditional Scottish motifs (much to the dismay of some folk purists of the time...) He was also a dazzling bowsman who specialized in "Strathspey" tunes (the nature of which is not well explained in the CD liner notes...) and who recorded both on early vinyl discs and pre-vinyl cylinder discs (which is where these records come from...) This is an interesting record, both for its historical and musical qualities... It's very squeaky stuff, but all you fiddle fans out there will probably want to check it out; many Celtic artists still delve into Skinner's repertoire, notably Aly Bain, and if you bend the bow yourself, you'll doubtless be wowed by Skinner's dexterity and unusual, fluid phrasing. Worth checking out! (Reissued on Temple Records.)

Skylark "Skylark" (Claddagh Records, 1987)

Skylark "All Of It" (Green Linnet Records, 1989)
Singer Len Graham and fiddler Gerry O'Connor form the backbone of this fine acoustic ensemble. O'Connor's unusual fiddling style, which leaves quite a few of the gaps and gallops of the old-fashioned rural styles intact, gives this album a distinctive stamp, as do Graham's soulful, understated vocals. A nice, highly listenable record, from beginning to end... Great source material, beautiful renditions. Recommended!

Skylark "Light And Shade" (Claddagh Records, 1994)

Skylark "Raining Bicycles" (Claddagh Records, 1996)

Smithfield Fair "Scotland Owns Me" (Stevenson Productions, 2001)

Smithfield Fair "Jacobites By Name" (Centaur Records, 2002)
A surprisingly strong, independently released American folk album, waving high the banner of Scottish folk-trad, in a charmingly amateurish, Ren Fair-y kinda way. I suppose we Yanks, when revisiting the music of the Old Country, can feel free to stay more "true" to the old sounds than folks who still actually live there. There's better trad out there, to be sure, but these folks certainly are enthusiastic and into what they're doing, and they exude a sincere sense of enjoyment... which counts for a lot, as far as I'm concerned.

Smithfield Fair "Burns Night Out!" (Stevenson Productions, 2002)
Scottish poet-icon Robert Burns gets the full works and, as with their other albums, this is a pretty perky, heartfelt affair. Not dazzling, but energetic and fairly fun.

Smithfield Fair "20 For 20" (Stevenson Productions, 2006)

Smoke Fairies "Through Low Light & Trees" (Year Seven Records, 2011)
A weird, magical album... Although this is mostly a rock record, this gauzy, mysterious mix has obvious nods to lofty English trad artists such as Shirley & Dolly Collins in the '60s, and the Unthanks, more recently. Mixed in is a strong dose of hypnotic rock, with droning repetitions that bring Stereolab to mind, as well as their krautrock and prog-rock forebears such as Can and Brian Auger. It's an alluring album - my conscious, critical mind would say, oh, this is too pretentious, but my ears and my heart would keep listening, and every time the album played from end to end, I enjoyed it a lot. If you like weird, wonderful indie-freak folk hybrids, then this album is for you!

Solas "Solas" (Shanachie Records, 1996)

Solas "Sunny Spells And Scattered Showers" (Shanachie Records, 1997)

Solas "The Words That Remain" (Shanachie Records, 1998)

Solas "The Hour Before Dawn" (Shanachie Records, 2000)
Modern, traddish Celtic pop, with an overall smoothness and proclivity towards egregious key changes and chord modulations that, well, doesn't do much for me. Deirdre Scanlan replaces Karan Casey as the band's lead singer, and while she's okay, she doesn't have that little incandescent ooompf that makes the best singers so great. Like the band itself, she has a youthful, modern feel about her, which undercuts their connection to Celtic music's deepest roots. While I am aware that these guys were the biggest thing in Celtic music, they just feel too blithe and callow for me; I understand where their mainstream appeal derives, but I just can't feel much excitement about their records.

Solas "The Edge Of Silence" (Shanachie Records, 2002)

Solas "Another Day" (Shanachie Records, 2003)
Opening with an exuberance and assertiveness that should attract pretty much anyone's ear, this is a simply breathtaking set of melodic reels and songs, including fine interpretations of well-known works such as "I Wandered By The Brookside" and "Maire Mhilis Bhrea" that are performed on a calibre equal to that of any of the great performers who have sung them before. At times, however, Scanlan's vocals start to sound rather stuffy and bland. Again, I can see where someone who likes modern adult pop might be drawn to the Solas style; I just find that they alternate wildly between sounding exciting and fresh, or frightfully dull and saccharine.

Solas "Reunion: A Decade Of Solas" (Compass Records, 2006)
WOW. Nice record... cool video! Solas are without question the preeminent Irish-American trad band, and an uber-allstar cast took part in this slam-bang, ten-year anniversary/reunion concert... Karan Casey and Winifred Horan shine as lead vocalists (while the combined female harmonies are astounding), and the instrumental work by John Doyle, Seamus Egan, Mick McAuley, John Williams and the rest will floor you as well. From the opening notes, there is a vibrant, propulsive, electrical feel to this album -- the giddy momentum and sense of joy never stops. A second, all-video disc features an entirely different set of songs, and that's a real treat as well. Fans of the band will be overjoyed, and anyone sitting on the fence will be won over, too. This is contemporary Celtic folk music at its finest... Highly recommended!

Solas "For Love And Laughter" (Compass Records, 2008)
(Produced by Seamus Egan & Solas)
Contemporary Irish-American folk at its best, from one of the finest bands in the field... The album opens with a lively instrumental piece, showing the group's solid foundation in traditional roots, although it quickly settles into a more modern mode, with numerous songs with a more contemporary folk feel. The group that spawned the careers of solo greats such as Karan Casey, John Doyle and John Williams now sports a new lead vocalist, Mairead Phelan, who glides through a number of airy, ethereal songs. The set is balanced out with a number of tunes composed by guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan and fiddler Winifred Horan (the band's two remaining founding members) and accordionist Mick McAuley. The group is still a powerhouse, although reactions of fans to the modern folk style that predominates on this disc will vary, depending on the listener's devotion to (or rejection of) strictly traditional material. Folks with more modern tastes should be quite happy with this one!

Solas "The Turning Tide" (Compass Records, 2010)
(Produced by Seamus Egan)
A fairly safe, slightly pop-tinged Celtic trad album... The rougher edges of Irish folk are carefully buffed down in favor of smoother, streamlined melodies, simpler rhythms, a more mainstream feel. It's not an all-out pop-fusion or world-fusion album, but it's notably un-jarring and accessible. Newcomer Mairead Phelan has a very nice voice, reminiscent of Sandy Denny, and the band hums along like a well-oiled juggernaut, playing tightly synchronized riffs, all with a buoyant melodic bounce. It's pleasant and effective, easy on the ears, but some trad fans may wish there were a little more bite.

Davy Spillane "The Sea Of Dreams" (Covert Records, 1998)
Sure, Spillane is a phenomenally talented piper, and he's been around forever and a day, playing on everyone's albums... but this disc is a big, stinky pile o' New Age-y shite. Bring it to your next aromatherapy session, if you must, but please, please, please don't put it on the stereo if I come over to visit.. (Thanks!) The highlights of the album are a pair of duets with Sinead O'Connor on "The Dreaming Of The Bones" and a fairly effective rendition of "Danny Boy." While the harmony and interplay of her voice and Spillane's equally ethereal pipes is quite striking, it's not enough to make up for the utter cheesiness of the album... Search for them instead on some sort of Sinead rarities collection.

Daithi Sproule - see artist profile

Spud "A Silk Purse" (Philips Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Donal Lunny)
Cheerful, lightly electrified trad from a once-popular but dimly remembered Irish folk-rock band. They bring to mind contemporary bands such as Steeleye Span and Horslips, but they're much less clompy or pretentious... The first part of this album tilts towards the traditional, with mandolin, fiddle, bass and guitar bouncily framing the reedy vocals... Then they dip into gently psychedelic folk, and more overtly modern material. It's quite charming, musically accomplished, but still with a definite whiff of amateurishness and wide-eyed, vaguely dorky enthusiasm. Definitely worth a whirl!

Spud "The Happy Handful" (Philips Records, 1975) (LP)

Spud "Smoking In The Bog" (Sonet Records, 1978) (LP)

Stained Glass "Open Road" (Sweet Folk And Country, 1974) (LP)
A sometimes-appealing, sometimes strained set of traddish psychedelic folk, with light acoustic instrumentation and a bit of dreamy electric keyboards, framing mixed (but mostly female) vocals that seem inordinately rooted in the lofty, declarative style of the early 1960's folkies (Joan Baez, et. al., with perhaps a whiff of Maddy Prior in there as well...) Personally, I found Sylvia Kelly's vocals to be irritating and pretentious, although certainly earnest and fully committed to the material... This Canterbury-based band wrote most of their own songs, notably the eerie "Poll Miles," an epic ballad about the persecution of witches and pagans in England... They also cover some classics, such as "Lord Franklin" and "Jolly Beggar..." My crabbiness aside, this is an album that would definitely appeal to the legions of "folk-freak" cratediggers out there... just didn't really ring my bells.

Stairheid Gossip "Stirrin' It Up" (Greentrax Records, 2002)
A vocal quintet from Edinburgh that seems roughly modeled on Sweet Honey In The Rock, mixing a wee bit of Celtic trad with South African choral works and songs by Holly Near, et al. It's not bad for the style; underwhelming overall, but their hearts are in the right place, and they sound like they were having fun.

Davy Steele "Chasing Shadows" (Temple Records, 1998)
(Produced by Roy Ashby & Nick Turner)
The lone solo album from the late Davy Steele, a onetime member of the Battlefield Band, Gael Force, Drinker's Drouth and Dick Gaughan's Clan Alba, who died in 2001. (Also see the Drinker's Drouth tribute album that came out after his untimely death in 2001...) Overall, this album is a little too sweet and contemporary-folkie for me, even many of the songs that are traditionally oriented. Maybe it's the prominence of the harp -- Patsy Seddon plays throughout -- but I think it's mostly an artistic choice in the tone of the whole album. Fans of, say, Dougie MacLean will probably dig this, but I would have loved it if the soulful, talented Steele had played things a little more roughly. Oh, well. A couple of tunes were keepers -- "Calton Weaver" and "Scotland Yet," which features Dick Gaughan on guitar -- but I was content to pass this one along to someone who'll like it better.

Steeleye Span - see artist profile

Andy M. Stewart "By The Hush" (Green Linnet Records, 1982) (LP)
Scotland's Andy M. Stewart (not to be confused with Andy Stewart, from a generation or two earlier) is an artist who tends towards softer arrangements, and occasionally drifts into rather goopy, even saccharine material. This early album -- his first solo work -- strikes the perfect balance, and frames his sweet vocals just perfectly. Lovely stuff, and highly recommended... (be careful when exploring later solo stuff...) Also check out his work with the band Silly Wizard.

Andy M. Stewart/Phil Cunningham/Manus Lunny "Fire In The Glen" (Green Linnet Records, 1985) (LP)

Andy M. Stewart & Manus Lunny "Dublin Lady" (Green Linnet Records, 1987)

Andy M. Stewart & Manus Lunny "At It Again" (Green Linnet Records, 1990)

Andy M. Stewart "The Songs Of Robert Burns" (Green Linnet Records, 1991)

Andy M. Stewart "Man In The Moon" (Green Linnet Records, 1994)

Andy M. Stewart "Donegal Rain" (Green Linnet Records, 1997)
A mature, later effort by a fine Scottish singer... Some of this is really wimpy and drearily "folk," some of it is quite nice. Stewart still has quite a nice voice, but his aesthetic sense drifts into questionable territory from time to time. Guitarist Gerry O'Beirne and fiddler John McCusker anchor the band and Phil Cunningham plays piano and accordion of a couple of tunes that close the album; McCusker's work is what really adds the greatest depth.

Margaret Stewart & Allan MacDonald "Colla Mo Run" (Greentrax Records, 2001)
Two locals from Glendulg, Scotland, with a pleasant, low-key set of fairly mellow bagpipe tunes, paired with doleful vocal songs. This isn't an electrifying album or anything, but it is quite nice and quite listenable. Worth checking out!

Wendy Stewart "About Time" (Greentrax Records, 1994)

Wendy Stewart "About Time II" (Greentrax Records, 1997)

Wendy Stewart "Standing Wave" (Greentrax Records, 2003)
This Scottish harpist offers a dreamy, gentle set of tunes which -- though a bit on the soft side, for me -- has a real emotional resonance, particularly when she sings. Worth checking out...

Alan Stivell "Symphonie Celtique: Tir Na Nog" (Disc AZ, 1980) (LP)
This is all a bit much, actually. Blobby, bloated, orchestral Celtic prog made pretty explicitly for the stoner crowd. I'm sure this fits in nicely with other artsy-fartsy music that was being made at the same time, particularly the stuff on the ECM label, but that doesn't make it any easier to listen to now. It's horribly strained and pretentious, and notably lacking in either melody or restraint.

Alan Stivell "Back To Breizh" (Disques Dreyfus, 2000)
Well, this was a surprise. Yeah, it's all high-tech and trip-hoppy, but it's also quite good. Moody, synthy, broody and French as all get-out. But it's also got a certain relaxed splendor to it, and Stivell's confidence as a veteran performer permeates the album, particularly on the opening tracks. A few of the more hip-hoppish and rock-flavored tracks go overboard and get irritating, but on the whole, this is a lot better than you might expect to hear from an old fart like this. The vocals help a lot.

Alan Stivell "Beyond Words" (Disques Dreyfus, 2002)
Well, okay, honestly... this is a pretty drippy, New Age-y album. Not for me, thanks.

Stockton's Wing "Stockton's Wing" (Tara Records, 1978) (LP)

Stockton's Wing "Take A Chance" (Tara Records, 1980)

Stockton's Wing "Light In The Western Sky" (Tara Records, 1982) (LP)

Stockton's Wing "American Special" (Tara Records, 1984) (LP)

Stockton's Wing "Live: Take One" (Tara Records, 1985) (LP)

Stockton's Wing "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" (Mother Earth Records, 1974) (LP)

Stockton's Wing "Full Flight" (1986)

Stockton's Wing "Celtic Roots Revival" (1988)

Stockton's Wing "The Stockton's Wing Collection" (Tara Records, 1991)

Stockton's Wing "The Crooked Rose" (Tara/Shanachie Records, 1992)

Stockton's Wing "Letting Go" (Tara Records, 1995)

Saffron Summerfield "Salisbury Plain" (Mother Earth Records, 1974) (LP)

Saffron Summerfield "Fancy Meeting You Here!" (Mother Earth Records, 1976) (LP)

Saffron Summerfield "The Early Years" (Mother Earth Music, 2003)
The female lead singer of the British folk-rock band Trader Horne, Saffron Summerfield went solo in the early 1970s, releasing two albums of ambitious pastoral pop. This album combines the tracks from both these albums, Salisbury Plain, from 1974, and Fancy Meeting You Here! from '76. It's a wee bit precious, but has plenty of texture and depth, as well as some interesting spins on traditional themes. The tone wavers between serious and flighty -- fans of the psychedelic folk era will want to check this out, although you have to have a high tolerance for meandering lyrics to stick with this with this for more than a tune or two at a time.

Swansea Jack "The Seven Wonders" (Arfolk Records, 1975) (LP)
The lone release, apparently, of this Welsh folk band... A mix of Welsh songs, English and Gaelic material, and even a bit of sea shantying.

Dave Swarbrick "Smiddyburn/Flittin' " (Raven Records, 1981/1996)
Fans of the instrumental side of Fairport Convention should dig this pair of recordings by their longtime fiddler, Dave Swarbrick. A bunch of his Fairport buddies, Richard Thompson among them, join in on this mostly-instrumental outing... Both albums were recorded at the same time in 1981, but released separately for whatever reason. It's nice stuff, though surprisingly heavy on standard-issue reels and such. For my personal tastes, there are too few numbers that really moved me (I tend to like aires and more melodically evocative tunes...) but I'm sure fans of fiddling in general and Fairport in particular will find plenty to enjoy here. A couple of songs do include vocals -- a rare opportunity to hear Swarbrick step up to take the mic...

Dave Swarbrick "English Fiddler: Swarbrick Plays Swarbrick" (Naxos Records, 2003)
A nice all-instrumental set, featuring ten Swarbrick originals, in turns sprightly, mournful, gleeful and drenched with soulfulness. This album includes contributions from button accordionist John Kirkpatrick, several mates from the Fairport crowd, and pianist Beryl Marriott (who was an early patron of the young Mr. Swarbrick, way back in the 1960s...) I'm not sure of the exact provenance of these recordings, but the music is mighty fine.

Sweeney's Men "Sweeney's Men" (Transatlantic Records, 1968) (LP)
One of the first Irish bands to emerge in the late 1960s, this Dublin trio cast a long shadow on the Celtic renaissance that followed. Largely this is due to the group's membership, which included Planxty co-founder Andy Irvine, as well as bouzouki player Johnny Moynihan (also later in Planxty, as well as De Danaan), and Terry Woods, who went on to be a founding member of Steeleye Span, and -- much later, in the 1980s -- a part of the punk-trad outfit, The Pogues. On their first album, Irvine looms large, and the style may feel familiar to fans of his early work; Irvine and Moynihan also pioneered the mandolin-bouzouki sound that would become a staple of Irvine's style. The original trio only lasted for a couple of years, with Irvine moving on to even grander (and more traditionally oriented) horizons -- this swell twofer CD also includes the second Sweeney's album, which is an odd, dreamy, folk-flavored, slightly mystical-psychedelic collaboration by the two remaining members. The stuff from '69 is far more distinctive than their straight Celtic material, although their trad ain't bad, either. It took a while for Sweeney's Men to grow on me (mostly because I originally only owned an LP copy of their first album, and wasn't aware of their more "out there" material), but now I'm a confirmed fan. If you can find their music in any form, check it out.

Sweeney's Men "The Tracks Of Sweeney" (Transatlantic Records, 1969) (LP)

Tufty Swift "Hammers, Tongues And A Bakewell Tart" (Free Reed Records, 1981) (LP)
This CD reissues an album by English melodeon whiz Tufty Swift, How To Make A Bakewell Tart along with Sue Harris' 1978 solo album, Hammers And Tongs.

Tufty Swift "You'll Never Die For Love" (Shark Records, 1985)

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