I'll admit it: My only previous exposure to Celtic and traditional Irish music was fed through the Pogues. Does that count? Okay, so their lead singer Shane MacGowan seemed drunk most of the time. Alright, it was worse than that; he sounded as if he was completely loaded. But take away the mangled, spitting vocals, and the music was pretty faithful to its roots, wasn't it?
Perhaps Celeste Ray (http://www.celesteray.com) will be able to answer that. After hearing "Strings of Gold," I can safely express my prior ignorance towards this music. Ray, unlike MacGowan, is not a punk rocker, and the authenticity of her songs cannot be denied.
But before I venture into the rootsy aspects of her CD, let me begin with the most accessible track, a remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair." The original version was haunting enough; however, Ray takes it into another direction, making it heartbreaking and almost epic in scope. It is a truly magnificent cover.
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Ray has the soothing voice of a nurse during a prolonged illness. There is something comforting, nearly motherly, about her vocals, especially on "Come by the Hills."
Balancing danceable tunes like "Battle of Aughrim/Cattle in the Corn" and the self-explanatory "Swaggering Jig" with contemplative fare such as the deeply spiritual "Blessing for Setting Forth," Ray has produced a pretty, always mesmerizing record for whatever mood that you're in.
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