CELTIC COLLECTIONS

Outside their native Ireland, Horslips have never really found success in any great measure, despite having been around for years and released many albums. They tend to plough a similar furrow to bands such as Jethro Tull and Magna Carta, leaning heavily on folk music for their inspiration.

The title "Celtic collections" is a generic name used for a series of compilation albums by different artists, other bands covered including Clannad, Altan, The Dubliners and The Fureys. This compilation dedicated to Horslips superficially covers their recordings from their early single "The high reel" in 1972 through to their final studio album "Short Stories Tall Tales" from 1979. With little over 40 minutes of music on the album, and eight albums of potential source material, this collection can never hope to provide more than a glimpse of the band's work.

That said, the tracks included here are diverse, if generally brief. Four of the songs are taken from what is widely considered to be the band's finest album "Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony", offering a useful 15 minute extract from that release. Other albums such as "Happy to meet." are afforded room only for a brief jig, and "Drive the cold winter" away is overlooked completely.

Musically, Horlips have something of an identity crisis. They often mix traditional Irish reels with rather ordinary US mainstream rock resulting in bland undistinguished songs with isolated bursts of character. The jigs are well performed, but could be by any of the thousands of pub performers who are so ingrained in the unique character of their native Ireland.

Occasionally, a track such as the "Local hero" like "Daybreak" will offer something more satisfying, the simple repeated guitar melody providing a break from the ordinary. In terms of prog though, this compilation offers no indication whatsoever that the band ever strayed remotely into such territory.

The sleeve bears the proclamation "The ultimate folk rock album". Clearly whoever wrote that has enjoyed little exposure to the genre.