ALBUM REVIEW: The Chieftains 8

Claddagh Records Limited, 1978
CBS Records Inc./Columbia, 1979 | 35726 (cassette only)
Columbia/Legacy, 1997 | CK64857

By Sarah Adams

Of the three releases picked up by Columbia, this is the weakest album but it is still a good album. This album marks the end of one part of the Chieftains history. This is the last album to feature Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy in the lineup.

The album starts out with "The Session", an array of jigs and reels set up to resemble a session in a pub or something. It is an interesitng track and is full of energy. "Miss Hamilton" from composer Cornelius Lyon from the 17th and 18th centuries and has a strong baroque influence but is a delightful tune to listen to. "If I Had Maggie in the Wood" is one of the fist recordings featuring the singing of Kevin Conneff and "Dogs Among the Bushes" shows the Scottish influence in this colleciton of reels and strathspeys. "Wind Among the Barley/Reel" With the Beryle is the dance version of the old ballad by the same name. It is a tune full of energy and if one listens closely one can hear Kevin Conneff play two bodhrans throught dubbing. The recording reflects the idea of dancers dancing throught the beating on the bodhraacute;n.

This album is a good one and shows the old style of The Chieftains. There is a nice blend of slow airs and fast reels and jigs. It is a strong album but it is not as stong as some of the other Chieftain releases.