THE DARK DANCE

Irish duo TIR NA NOG came to prominence as a part of the Irish folk revival in the late '60s, and during some hectic years in the early '70s they established themselves as a popular and influential band as recording artists as well as a live band, opening for artists such as Jethro Tull and ELP in a hectic and ongoing tour schedule, and also developing their material to a more progressive rock oriented sound along the way. Some time after their third album "Strong in the Sun", released in 1973, the project disbanded. While they would reform occasionally, it wasn't until a few years ago that the band decided to reform as an ongoing venture again. "The Dark Dance" is their first studio album since that event took place, and was self-released by the band in 2015.

A new studio album by Tir Na Nog is an event. Perhaps first and foremost for those with an interest in folk music and progressive folk music, but any band with a certain status '70s that release an album after a 42-year long pause from releasing new material will cause an interest from this as an event in itself. In this case it is a successful album as I regard it, with one half catering for those with an interest in the more advanced material of the band and one half with a stronger focus on the more purebred folk material, both sides coming across as well worked out and with a sustainable quality to boot. An album well worth checking out by those with an interest in the folk music-oriented part of the progressive rock universe.