Voice Of Ages CD

MUSIC

WORLD MUSIC

CELTIC

Song Listing

Disc 1

Song Title

1. Carolina Rua/Reel: The Ladies Pantalettes ~ The Chieftains

2. Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies ~ The Chieftains

3. Pretty Little Girl ~ The Chieftains

4. Down In the Willow Garden ~ The Chieftains

5. Lily Love ~ The Chieftains

6. Lark In the Clear Air/Olam Punch, The ~ The Chieftains

7. My Lagan Love ~ The Chieftains

8. When the Ship Comes In ~ The Chieftains

9. School Days Over ~ The Chieftains

10. Frost is All Over, The ~ The Chieftains

11. Peggy Gordon - (featuring The Secret Sisters) ~ The Chieftains

12. Hard Times Come Again No More - (featuring City of Limerick Pipe Band) ~ The Chieftains

13. Chieftains Reunion, The ~ The Chieftains

14. Chieftains in Orbit, The ~ The Chieftains

15. Lundu ~ The Chieftains

Album Notes and Credits

Notes & Personnel Info
	Personnel: Kevin Conneff (vocals, bodhran); Sean Keane (fiddle); Matt Molloy (flute); Paddy Moloney (tin whistle, Uilleann pipe).
	Audio Mixers: Paddy Moloney; Brian Masterson.
	Liner Note Author: Colum McCann.
	Recording information: April Base, Fall Creek, WI (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); International Space Station (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (08/24/2011-08/26/2011); April Base, Fall Creek, WI (09/14/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (09/14/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (09/14/2011); International Space Station (09/14/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (09/14/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (09/14/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011); April Base, Fall Creek, WI (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); International Space Station (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/14/2011-10/19/2011); April Base, Fall Creek, WI (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); International Space Station (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (09/29/2011-10/25/2011); April Base, Fall Creek, WI (10/20/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (10/20/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (10/20/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (10/20/2011); International Space Station (10/20/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (10/20/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (10/20/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (10/20/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (10/20/2011); April Base, Fall Creek, WI (11/09/2011); Comhaltas Ceolt¢ir¡ ireann, Dublin, Ireland (11/09/2011); Flora Recordings, Portland, OR (11/09/2011); Groove Masters Studios, Santa Monica, CA (11/09/2011); International Space Station (11/09/2011); Quinteiro De Nerua, Vigo Bay, Galicia, Spain (11/09/2011); Soundscape Studios, Dublin, Ireland (11/09/2011); The Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA (11/09/2011); WindMill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland (11/09/2011).
	Voice of Ages marks the Chieftains 50th anniversary. Initially, Paddy Moloney wanted to get all the living members of the band together for an album-length jam on "Toss the Feathers." Concord and co-producer T-Bone Burnett had a different idea. Advance label and press hype crowed about the radical approach of this album because of its collaborations with indie rockers -- nonsense. Given the Chieftains' history, collaboration -- Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Sting, Mary Black, Mick Jagger, Mark Knopfler, and Ry Cooder, to name a few -- is an integral part of their mission. Voice of Ages' 15 cuts contain, sadly, only one solo number. "The Chieftains Reunion" is among the album's best moments and clocks in at over 11 minutes, giving Moloney's original notion a nod. Other highlights include "Carolina Rua" with Imelda May (followed by the Chieftains jamming on a reel), "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" by the Pistol Annies, who wed their unique roots music to the Celtic tradition seamlessly, the stunning, "My Lagan Love" with Lisa Hannigan's otherworldly voice, and the Civil Wars' reverent yet joyful reading of "My Lily Love." On these cuts, one can hear the Chieftains really creating with their intuitive magic; extending the scope of Irish music into the world of popular music, with vocalists who understand -- at root level -- what they're all about. Another winner is Bob Dylan's "When the Ship Comes In" with the Decemberists. While Dylan's tune is based on a traditional Celtic song, the band's performance lends inspiration and celebration to the Chieftains' arrangement. "The Lark in the Clear Air/Olam Punch" and "The Frost Is Over" with the Punch Brothers produce fine results because the approach to the material is loose and lively -- and accommodating. Stephen Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More," with Paolo Nutini's gentle yet reedy vocals backed by the Chieftains at their mournful best, also features the City of Limerick Pipe Band, who give it a stately finish. Together, they make this parlor ballad as moving a reading as any out there. Some tunes just don't work, though: Bon Iver's reading of Charlie Monroe's wonderful murder ballad "Down in the Willow Garden" is labored, tired, and boring. Given the song's emotional core, it deserves to be treated with something more than faux hipster detachment. The Carolina Chocolate Drops try way too hard on "Pretty Little Girl" -- though the Chieftains sound fantastic. The Low Anthem's version of Ewan MacColl's "School Day's Over" is far too studied and restrained. The bonus track, "Lundu," with Galician piper Carlos Nunez -- and his family members helping out on bouzouki, electric guitar, percussion, and loops -- is rough and ready. It feels like a spontaneous demo, sending Voice of Ages off on a high note as the Chieftains get their Irish reel groove on. Voice of Ages is a good Chieftains recording; its solid performances easily outweigh its duds, but it feels like something less than a 50th anniversary celebration. Moloney's original idea would have been more fitting, and really something to hear. ~ Thom Jurek
Producer: Paddy Moloney; T-Bone Burnett
Engineer: Mike Piersante; Brian Masterson
Musical Guests
	Imelda May
	Pistol Annies
	Carolina Chocolate Drops
	Bon Iver
	The Civil Wars
	Punch Brothers
	Lisa Hannigan
	The Decemberists
	The Low Anthem
	Secret Sisters
	Paolo Nutini
	City of Limerick Pipe Band
	Cady Coleman
	Carlos N£¤ez

Compilation Appearances

	E2
	E2
	Imagine Project
	Playlist:very Best/patty Loveless

Associated Artists and Works

	Cooder, Ry
	Ears, Rabbit
	Galway, James
	Galway, James (Flute)
	Largo
	Largo (Rock)
	Morrison, Van
	Original Soundtrack
	Rabbit Ears
	Streep, Meryl
	Van Morrison

Technical Info

	Release Date : 02/21/2012
	Original Release Date : 2012
	Catalog ID : 7233437
	Label : Hear Music
	Number of Discs : 1
	Studio/Live : Studio
	SPAR Code : n/a
	UPC : 00888072334373

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.62)
- 3 stars out of 5 -- "The Decembrists' Colin Meloy spins a springy version of Bob Dylan's 'When the Ship Comes In,' Bon Iver's Justin Vernon croons a ghostly murder ballad..."

Entertainment Weekly (p.79)
- "The dreamy 'Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies' showcases Miranda Lambert and her Pistol Annies..." -- Grade: B

Magnet (p.53)
- "The Chieftains are well known for their ability to tap into the most current sounds in today's global music market for fruitful collaborations, and they exhibit this well on VOICE OF AGES."

Billboard (p.32)
- "[A] children's choir adds a lovely texture to the Low Anthem's rendition of Ewan MacColl's 'School Days Over.'"

Q (Magazine)
(p.94)
- 4 stars out of 5 -- "[With] measured, respectful performances from an impressive array of more youthful guiests....As for the Chieftains themselves, they're wonderful in a supporting role."

Mojo (Publisher)
(p.82)
- 3 stars out of 5 -- "Bon Iver's 'Down In The Willow Garden' is gorgeous, The Decembrists' 'When The Ship Comes In' is persuasively animated..."

Uncut (magazine)
(p.69)
- "Bon Iver sighs spectrally through the murderous 'Down In The Willow Garden'....Pistol Annies and The Low Anthem shine..."

BloomReach Content

Voice Of Ages (2012)

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