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IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE 2010

An intriguing title - Sugach Samh in Irish - for this outstanding Kerry musician's second CD. Her debut followed stardom with Riverdance, and album number two has taken time out of her touring schedule with the Carlos Nunez band. Niamh plays fiddle and concertina, and sings in English and Irish - a new departure for her. She also presents four new compositions here, so she's been a busy bee since her previous release, and I have to say she's looking well on it. Niamh is joined by Robbie Harris on the auld skin drum, and by the original Lunasa rhythm section, as well as a handful of one-track ponies.

The ten tracks of tunes here are evenly split between fiddle and concertina, with two technomagic duet tracks. There's a Kerry influence in the inclusion of slides and polkas, but Niamh's tastes are eclectic. She starts with The Limerick Redowa (a Czech dance similar to a mazurka), turned with the brilliant Oakum's and Niamh's own lilting Strawberry Tree Slide. The gentle old slip jig Top It Off leads into a pair of familiar fiery reels - almost an American fiddle style as the bow saws through The Glen Road to Carrick - then a more delicate approach for her catchy composition The Devil's Ladder. The Blue Horse is a clear highlight for me, a set of jigs starting with one which has many names but I know best as The Swedish Jig, followed by The Sail-Maker's Wife which Garry Walsh introduced me to, and finally a muneira learnt from that Napoleon of the Galician gaita, Carlos Nunez. Lonesome Eyes is the first of three slow airs here, a beautiful melody by the late Jerry Holland into which Niamh pours all the poignancy of her fiddle. Eithne's is another Ni Charra composition, bittersweet and haunting, followed by her light airy jig The Fairy Step. The final air comes from the heart of the Munster tradition, Bruach na Carraige Baine, wonderfully articulated on concertina. A glorious set of hornpipes, some splendid jigs and pokas, and a pair of big Scottish and Canadian tunes complete the instrumental offering.

A fluent Irish speaker, Niamh delivers two songs in Irish and one in English on this recording. I know Niamh was hesitant to add vocals to her performances, but the three examples here are a credit to her. Paddy's Lamentation is taken slow, mournful and low: no dramatics, just an honest delivery. Niamh provides her own concertina break in the middle. Cailleach an Airgid and Se Fath Mo Bhuartha are sung in a light clear voice: Niamh tears into the comic ditty with gusto, and backs this up with a fine fiddle version, while the lovesong is handled gently and features a sparkling accompaniment on zither by Niamh's father. It all adds up to a very impressive CD.

Happy Out could well be one of the best albums of 2010, so don't miss it!

Alex Monaghan, Irish Music Magazine, November 2010