V.A. - The Rough Guide To The Music Of Wales (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For a small country, Wales has produced a lot of music, and added at least one instrument -- the triple harp -- to the arsenal of music. This compilation, however, doesn't so much look back to past glories as dwell on the young talents emerging in the country at the time, whose music is rooted in tradition, but not completely bound by it, such as Fernhill or the Rag Foundation. Inevitably, and quite justifiably, the vast majority of the pieces here are in Welsh, a language that's undergone a resurgence in recent years, and there's even one non-folkie, Catatonia's Cerys Matthews who appears here, duetting with Jonathan Shorland. While Robin Huw Bowen, one of the leading figures of Welsh music and a virtuoso on the triple harp, isn't here, the instrument certainly gets a look in with Llio Rhydderch offering some vibrant plucking on the instrument. Oddly, Sian James, one of Wales' leading performers, isn't included, but at least the trio of Kilbride, with their twin fiddles over Danny Kilbride's fleet guitar work, get a good airing. Ironically, Julie Murphy, a non-Welsh singer, appears twice, both in a duet with Dylan Fowler, and as part of Fernhill, one of the most adventurous bands to come out of Wales in many years. So while it's far from a complete picture, The Rough Guide does give an indication of where the music of Wales is likely to go in the next decade. by Chris Nickson 
Tracklist:
1 Llio Rhydderch – Merlangell / Megis Sybylltir 5:17
Harp – Llio Rhydderch
Performer – Nansi Richards
Written-By – Rhydderch
2 Julie Murphy & Dylan Fowler – Y Ddua Farch 4:20
Arranged By, Guitar – Dylan Fowler
Arranged By, Vocals – Julie Murphy
Traditional
3 Rag Foundation – Mynd I Rymni 5:52
Arranged By – Woolard, Woolard, Cowell
Traditional
4 William Taylor – Kaniad Y Gwynn Bibydd 2:23
Arranged By, Harp – William Taylor
Traditional
5 Capel Rhydwilym – Canu'r Pwnc 2:56
Traditional
6 Meic Stevens – Breuddwydion 3:20
Written-By – Meic Stevens
7 Ffynnon – Hiraeth Am Feirion 2:30
Arranged By – Ffynnon
Harp – Carwyn Fowler
Piano – Stacey Blythe
Vocals – Lynne DenmanTraditional
8 John Thomas – Hen Ladi Fowr Benfelen 2:46
Vocals – John Thomas
Traditional
9 John Morgan – Lawr A'r Ffrancod / Medley Caerfaddon 2:54
Arranged By, Concertina – John Morgan
Traditional
10    Ceri Rhys Matthews & Jonathan Shorland–    Conset Y Peipar / Erddigan Y Pibydd Coch 3:12
Arranged By, Bagpipes – Ceri Rhys Matthews, Jonathan Shorland
Traditional
11 Pigyn Clust – Merched 3:17
Arranged By – Pigyn Clust
Written-By – Traditional
Tom Edwards / Angharad Siân / Y Derwydd    (3:34)
12a – Tom Edwards
Traditional
12b – Angharad Siân
Written-By – Stacey
12c – Y Derwydd
Traditional
13 Boys From The Hill – SS Agnes Jack / Aberdare Railway Polka 4:17
Music By – Jones, Pitson, Leaman, Jenkins
Traditional
14 Siôn Williams – Bethel 3:31
Music By – Siôn Williams
Words By – Gareth Ioan
15    Bob Evans & Gareth Whelan – Erddigan Y Pibydd Coch / Tri A Chwech / Marwnad Yr Heliwr 4:46
Arranged By – Whelan
Arranged By, Fiddle – Evans
Traditional
16 Nansi Richards – Pen Rhaw 2:06
Arranged By, Harp – Nansi Richards
Traditional
17 Yr Hwntws – Triban Morgannwg - Cas Bethe / Chwi Fechgyn Glan Ffri / Difyrrwch Gwyr Dyfi 3:57
Arranged By – Lease, Yr Hwntws
Traditional
18 Guto Dafis – Breuddwyd Y Frenhines 3:26
Arranged By – Dafis
Written-By – Traditional
19 Mike Lease & Jane Ridout – Miners Hornpipe / Monmouth Hornpipe 2:38
Arranged By – Ridout, Lease
Traditional
20 Fernhill – Fi Wela 3:38
Music By – Matthews
Words By [Additional] – Murphy

V.A. - The Rough Guide To Irish Music (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The World Music Network's second installment in its excellent Rough Guide to Irish Music series is another high-quality overview of Celtic music both traditional and contemporary that eclipses many of the genre's numerous other anthologies. With a roster that forgoes the emerging industry's more fusion-oriented material in favor of young and older talent with muses that burn bright with forward-thinking -- but ultimately reverent -- renderings of traditional songs and dances, it's an excellent introduction for the curious and a solid collection for the already converted. Highlights include the whistle-heavy trio Flook, the Manhattan-based Celtic folk of the Prodigals and the blistering harmonica and fiddle duo Paul Moran and Fergal Scahill. by James Christopher Monger
Tracklist:
1 Flook – G.D.'s: Hoopers Loop / Pressed For Time 4:02
2 Dervish – An T-Úll 2:17
3 Frankie Gavin – The Night Cap / The Frost Is All Over 2:46
4 Maighread & Tríona Ni Dhomhnaill With Dónal Lunny – Liostáil Mé Le Sáirsint 2:38
5 The Prodigals – The Morning After 3:08
6 Séamus Quinn & Gary Hastings – Paddy Killoran's Highland / Hannah Mhicí Mhicheáil's 2:09
7 Paddy Keenan & Tommy O'Sullivan – Antara / The Twirly Haired Girl / The Mountain Road 4:04
8 Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola – Bean Pháidín (Páidin's Wife) 2:18
9 Ciarán Ó Maonaigh & Dermot McLaughlin –    Loughisle Castle 1:17
10 Mary McPartlan – Slieve Gallion Braes 2:35
11 Séamus Creagh & Aidan Coffey – Hughie Travers / The Cat In The Corner 3:09
12 Paul Brady – Mary And The Soldier 3:55
13 Matt Molloy – A Stór Mo Chroi / The Primrose Lass / Miss Mcgovern's Favourite 4:11
14 Séamus Begley & Jim Murray – An Seanduine 4:06
15 North Cregg – Polkas (Callaghan's / The Glen Cottage / Is Trua Gan Peata An Mhaoir Agam) 3:59
16 Cran – Taimse 'N Arrears 3:14
17 Paul Moran & Fergal Scahill – The Cúil Aodha Slide / Dan Patsy's Slide / The Toormore Slide 2:20
18 Lúnasa – The Walrus 2:39
19 Helen Roche – As I Roved Out 4:16
20 Paul McGrattan – The Lark On The Strand / The Geese In The Bog / The Eavesdropper 3:50
21 Altan – The Humours Of Castlefin / Nia's Dance / An Dúidin 3:26
22 Gerry O'Connor – Cam A' Lochaigh (The Curve Of The Lake) 3:21

LOREENA McKENNITT - The Mask And Mirror [1994] [Remastered 2005] FLAC

Loreena McKennitt drew her inspiration for this album from 15th century Spain, where the cultures of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam coexisted uneasily, tied together by a common tradition of religious mysticism. McKennitt reflects the multi-culturalism in arrangements that mix the half-tone intervals and familiar instruments of the Aryan north with the quarter-tone intervals and dumbeg, oud, and tamboura of the Semitic south. The results are often intoxicating, even if the composer consistently prefers slow-moving tempos. There's a tension and density to this music that safely removes it from the new- age category. McKennitt's attempts to evoke medieval mysticism in her lyrics are less successful.She fares best when she draws her texts from other sources: Prospero's closing speech from Shakespeare's "The Tempest," Yeats's "The Two Trees," "The Dark Night of the Soul" by the medieval Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross, and the traditional narrative ballad, "The Bonny Swans." One these numbers, the shadowy, mesmerizing atmospheres conjured up by McKennitt's music are enhanced by the words rather than spoiled by them.

Tracklist:

1. The Mystic's Dream 

2. The Bonny Swans 

3. The Dark Night Of The Soul 

4. Marrakesh Night Market 

5. Full Circle 

6. Santiago 

7. Ce He Mise Le Ulaingt? (The Two Trees) 

8. Prospero's Speech 

O Púbis da Rosa