DÚLAMÁN

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.

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