Siobhán Long, The Irish Times

LÍADAN

Casadh na Taoide ****

A quiet, unshowy confidence underpins Líadan’s second collection, Casadh na Taoide/ Turning the Tide. Highly polished arrangements breathe fresh life into many of the traditional tunes and songs. The Angel’s Whisper, a maritime-themed lullaby, epitomises this all-female sextet’s exacting attention to detail. Valerie Casey’s clean, uncluttered lead vocals are supported by superb instrumentation and, in particular, by Síle Denvir’s pinprick harp and Catherine Clohessy’s flute. Líadan fluently intertwine a healthy swag of their own compositions with old and newer tunes. The results suggest countless hours playing and singing in unison – a sure sign of a healthy hunger for digging deep beneath the surface rather than simply echoing the tunes of their collective inheritance. A massive leap forward from a band who have laboured diligently to make this music their own.
Download tracks: Ócum An Phríosúin , The Leverette