NO CROWS

It is also cosmopolitan, with a double bassist and guitarist from Sligo and a fiddler from Dublin, Steve Wickham, also a member of the Waterboys, a Swiss cellist, a Catalan guitarist and a Russian violinist. Refusing to be labelled, their music reflects who they are: an eclectic mix of Irish tradition, classical, gypsy jazz and world music.

Escape is already their sixth album. Thirteen diverse tracks, sailing from the Balkans with Crows Hora to Sweden with Sweedish Polka although, by the musicians' own admission, this track is neither Swedish nor a polka, passing through Flanders with Will Ye Go to Flanders? It's also Italy, Midnight in Siena, a superb melody composed by Altan's accordionist, Martin Tourish, invited on the album. As is the singer Lisa Lambe, who gives a beautiful bit of voice on One Train Away, a song that flirts with country music. But Ireland is not absent with the last set, Little Diamond/ The Strathnairn/ The Munster Bank, a suite of Kerry polkas composed by Steve Cooney.

Let's add to conclude that the album was recorded live during two memorable concerts at Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim. This brings the little extra that delivers the originality of the album.

Whirling WHRL020 - www.nocrows.net