Various Artists: The Burren Backroom Series Volume 1 | Album Review

Live pub recordings sometimes yield a mixed bag that can run the gamut from high-octane energy to raucous and ragged come-all-ye's. The Burren Backroom Series Volume 1 favours the former – with no small degree of chutzpah. Recorded between 2011 and 2014 in Boston pub The Burren, owned by musicians Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello, it's a fine snapshot of the mix of visiting musicians and bands, from Lúnasa and Andy Irvine to Sharon Shannon, Liz Carroll and Dervish. This is a collection for anyone seeking tinctures of each musician, as it's a bird's eye view of the complex tapestry that defines the tradition. Highlights are many and include Téada with Séamus Begley and Sliabh Notes, along with the Battlefield Band.

[ burren.com ]