DÚLAMÁN

Irish Folk was undoubtedly my favorite music genre in my early childhood. It was responsible for sending me on a very expansive journey across the wide variety of music Earth had in store. I rarely listen to music from Ireland these days, usually enjoying more time delving into those genres that simply need more time to digest (like prog), but I do find myself occasionally gravitating back to my roots. When I heard of Clannad, I was thrilled to see two of my favorite genres forge together in an awesome 70's culmination, and even played by a group of skilled musicians. Dulaman is the third album in Clannad's discography, and is completely what I expected.

Obviously because these individuals are Irish (with a touch of arts-y), they will sing in Irish Gaelic, one of my favorite languages ever forged by mankind. Not to mention the language is best when sung, and sung by indigenous peoples to the country of Ireland. All throughout the Irish spirit of fun and playfulness never ceases. I'll admit, Irish are best at drinking songs, which is most prudent seeing as they can bring up such a feeling of comradery and fraternity in a setting of happiness which can be shown clearly in their more stylistic interpretation. Clannad uses their conjoined vocal powers (sounds like a superpower), as well as Irish folk constants like the flute and the harp to sweep you across the sea to the rocky shores of County Donegal to experience the magic. Most everything on the album is pure, heartfelt, and wonderful. Even I, a seasoned veteran of the Irish Folk genre was surprised and impressed by these bunch. Highly recommended. Can't wait to see what else is in store.

On the cusp of embarking on a professional music career, CLANNAD's third album combines the best aspects of their debut and Clannad 2, which bubbles up an alchemy of "trad, arr" as never seen prior or since. In typical Clannad fashion, it's hard to determine just how they attain the achievement, for nothing here, taken on its own, is more than a variant shade on other Celtic folk, but the difference is no less striking than those two sibling color swatches placed side by side, one a perfect complement to your music room, the other not fit for the bathroom of a man cave.

The jazzy aspects of the first album have returned but are much more integrated into the whole, suffusing the stunning title cut, the shapeshifting "Éirigh Is Cuir Ort Do Chuid Éadaigh Cóiriu", and the similar almost hard rocking "Mo Mháire", in which the flute steps into the shoes of a lead guitar and stretches them silly. Along the way, the listener is rewarded with the jauntily macabre "Two Sisters", much covered but endowed with the distinct family traits, and the even more oft reprised morose ballad "Siúil A Rún", leaving one to wonder if Irish balladry doesn't mine a distinct proggy vein or if it isn't just the work of these wizards.

The last two cuts warrant their own inset. First the brief acapella "dTigeas A Damhsa" sounds like vocalise, an acid folk forerunner to MANHATTAN TRANSFER, busting out of its 90 second cast right into one of the most enduring finales imaginable, in two flute led parts. The first, "Cucanandy", is a slip jig whose melody oddly reprises the prior song, accompanied by harp (or perhaps it's an electric piano or both?). The bridge between it and the well known "Jug of Brown Ale", is a single line constituting the only vocals on the track, and my barely nascent Gaelic tells me Prince Phillip might be mentioned. The last two minutes are sheer joy, the band busting out as much as they ever do, but don't bother jacking up the volume. Instead try simmering yourself down and savoring it.

In my opinion "Dulaman" is the pinnacle of not only CLANNAD's early career but of the Irish folk movement up to that time. It's a work of genius that, with the turn of phrase and a couple of deft side steps, caresses away the seaweed from a genre too often stagnating at low tide.

The lifeline of Clannad may be divided into three unequal (artistically unequal!) parts. Part one, from Clannad to Crann Ull: folky sound, mostly traditional songs, singing mostly in Gaelic, usually Maire soloing, other singers assisting; arrangements more or less close to traditional, modest instrumentation. (Fuaim is a special case.) Part two, from Magical Ring to Anam: sound usually qualified as 'ambient' and/or 'new age' and/or 'electronic', musical material mostly composed by the band members (though still following Celtic tradition), singing mostly in English, vocals are still usually led by Maire but often by choir of all the five singers; arrangements closer to proggy than folky, rich instrumentation. Part three, from Banba: decline. Dulaman is undoubtedly the best album from the band's earliest, folky era, and no rave review can be enough to express how good it is. It's a quintessence of Clannad's folky skill. And, paradoxically, maybe due to this reason the band noticeably starts to feel cramped in the space of traditional Celtic folk. Looks (i.e. sounds) like since then they felt magnetically attracted to unusual and individual melody making (far from nice and unpretentious traditional motifs but based on them nevertheless), majestic reverberating choir vocals and non-traditional arrangement techniques. The embryo of the future Clannad's sound can be heard in the tracks like Eirigh Is Cuir Ort Do Chuid Eadaigh. That's why I think Dulaman may be considered not only the acme of Clannad Part one but also the precursor to Clannad Part two.

Clannad's third album "Dúlamán" was released in 1976, and seen the original sound of Clannad reach its peak. This album was made before their worldwide popularity and also before Enya was even part of the band. Of course, we have the classic line up of the two families involved here, the Brennans and the O'Dugains, and they were all related, Marie being the central figure and main vocalist.

The album, like its two predecessors, consists of mostly Irish and Gaelic songs, some traditional and some original, and each given the love and care that made Clannad's sound so intoxicating.

The album starts off with the title track "Dulaman", sung in Gaelic, which is based on a traditional Irish song about the people that used to collect seaweed for staving off starvation among other things. The specific character in this track wishes to marry another Dulaman's daughter against his wishes, so they elope. Clannad's version begins with various members of the band singing a cappela with traditional instruments joining in later and the short verses sung by one of the male singers. The music is well constructed, becoming more involved as it goes on, and a nice flute solo is featured on the long instrumental break with light percussion added to give it all a forward driving feel. The traditional sound is quite evident and will remain so throughout the album, which is really the best way to experience Clannad anyway.

"Cumha Eoghain Rua Ui Neill" is a slow and sparse instrumental that pays homage to Owen Roe O'Neill who was a great military leader of the Irish rebellion of the 1640s who died a premature death after succumbing to an illness, and the country was left under the savage reign of Cromwell. The music is quite lovely and pensive with plenty of flute and mandolin. It is based on an old Irish lament that originally had lyrics. "Two Sisters" comes from an old English folk song that deals with jealousy over one man to the point that one of them pushes the other into the river. Marie sings this one in English, a cappella during the first verse, and then with minimal instrumentation. The music becomes more layered as it continues on, and becomes more rhythmic retaining the folk elements, staying true to its roots. Clannad's version is an abridgment of the traditional lyrics.

"Eirigh Suas A Stoirin (Rise Up, My Darling)" returns to the Gaelic lyrics again with Marie singing lead. This song is also about vain love, which seems to be a common theme of traditional Irish music. In this one, a love sick suitor tries to win over a girl's parents to gain a girl's hand, but he is refused and the words deal with his loss. Most of this is sung by Marie alone with acoustic guitar accompanying her, with bass added in later. The band also provides some choral like vocals towards the end. "The Galtee Hung" is an instrumental Irish dance song with harp and flute playing a lilting duet. Guitar and bass come in later to add more life to the song. "Eirigh Is Cuir Ort Do Chuid Eadaigh (Arise and Dress Yourself)" is based off of an old folk song with some alterations made to the lyrics by the band. Marie again sings in Gaelic about another unrequited love tale, this time it is told in the viewpoint of the female. The music has a nice forward movement which actually shows some variety in the sound as it continues and the bass becomes more prominent. It is a well constructed version with nice instrumental composition which adds the needed variety to the album, yet retains the authentic folk element.

"Siuil A Run (Come, Oh Love)" is a lament that comes from the times of the Irish Brigade which was made up of young men that left Ireland to serve in the French Army. It is from the viewpoint of a young woman who misses her lover. Surprisingly, parts of the track is sung in English with the remainder being sung in Gaelic, all by Marie. The track is simpler with the accompaniment being made up of mostly acoustic guitars. "Mo Mhaire" is about a girl named Marie, which seems appropriate for the band. The melody, sung by Marie again in Gaelic is a bit more upbeat than the last track and has a familiar ring to it, but the accompaniment remains simple and without percussion, leaving the rhythm to be accented by the other instruments. "d'Tigeas a Damhsa" is a child's dance song sung totally a cappella with Marie leading the rest of the band and is a short track. The last track "Cucanandy/The Jug of Brown Ale" is a combination of two Irish instrumentals twined together by a short Gaelic phrase sung by the group in the middle of the track.

This is the Clannad that is the most folkish, the earlier albums being the most simple and faithful to the Irish sound. Yet, it was with the addition of pop elements that helped make the band more successful, sometimes to the music's benefit and other times to its detriment. But this simple, somewhat naïve sound is what give the band its heart and believability. In Dulaman, the band has worked out its kinks of the earlier albums and made a perfect Irish folk album. Yes, the band would still have some excellent albums to come, albeit sort of sporadically, but this one shows them while they are still faithful to the roots of their music and at their best as far as true folk music goes.

Back before Donegal's Brennan and Duggan families tried on a lot of the synthetics the modern music world was offering they were truly an Irish folk band--a trailblazing force.

1. "Dúlamán (Seaweed)" (4:30) in the form of a shanty sing-a-long. (8.75/10)

2. Cumha Eoghain Rua Uí Neeill (Lament For Owen Roe)" (4:03) a somber weave of traditional Irish instruments that sounds very much in the vein of Alan Stivell's Renaissance de la harpe Celtique. (9/10)

3. "Two Sisters" (4:07) English! (no doubt a true and bitter concession) very standard Irish song with some sing-a-long chorus parts. (8.5/10)

4. "Éirigh Suas A Stóirín (Rise Up My Love)" (5:03) gorgeous weave of gently picked/plucked string instruments over which Máire sings in her angelic wraith-like voice. This one stands up to anything by Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Spirogyra, or Steeleye Span. (9.5/10)

5. "The Galtee Hunt" (3:03) a real reel. The flute and Celtic harp pairing is magical--as is the presence and input of the mandolin later. (8.75/10)

6. "Éirigh Is Cuir Ort Do Chuid Éadaigh (Arise And Dress Yourself)" (4:05) a very traditional sounding Irish song that is given some truly progressive clothes with modern keyboards, bass, treated stringed instruments. Super! (9/10)

7. "Siúil A Rún (Irish Love Song)" (5:43) More stupendous melodies and chord progressions served up in oddly syncopated time signatures beneath a stellar vocal performance by Máire. (9.75/10)

8. "Mo Mháire" (2:38) very familiar melodies from the traditional Irish instruments and their weave support whistle and Máire's vocal trading the leadership point. (4.333/5)

9. "DTigeas A Damhsa (Children's Dance Song)" (1:20) the easy repetition definitely fits the objective audience suggested by the title. Nothing so special here--and really nothing proggy. (4/5)

10. "Cucanandy/The Jug Of Brown Ale" (3:08) a gentle reel with wonderful clarity given all of the instruments participating: flute, harp, mandolin, bodhrán. (8.6667/10)

Total Time: 37:40

Other than a few modern electrical effects and, perhaps, the fine engineering and production, there is not a lot here to qualify the band, music, or album as "Prog Folk." This album is almost purely folk music, however, I do hear the advantages and advances offered by electrical inputs that render the sound on this album's songs more "modern" than pure pub/coffee-house fare. The spectrum of instruments used, the clarity of each contributors' contributions, and the powerful gift that is the voice of Máire Ni Bhraonain are all totally refreshing and genre-defining.

B+/4.5 stars; a ground-breaking and truly stellar offering of modernized Irish folk music--one that led to the assuaging of the controversy created by the Brennan and Duggan families with both their "modern" Irish song constructs and forms as well as with their (for the time) unusual renderings of song in the ancient native Gaelic tongue. Bravo, an clann as Dobhar! I applaud their perseverance and fortitude.