This really is a fine Seamus Kennedy CD.

He has made a varied and fine selection of songs. There are several very funny Seamus songs, and a few great sing-along, sort of songs. There are also a few of Seamus's great musician friends playing some trad and some not-so-trad instrumentation - whistle, accordian, fiddle, guitar - but surely I hear bass and pedal steel-like electric guitar in there, eh Seamus??

Seamus has included some favorites from Andy M Stewart, Gerry O'Bierne, Robbie MCConnell, Aengus Finan and others. The album has a light hearted feel, but it has some serious momnents too. In particluar Seamus has put together a 3 songs set he calls the Pennsylvania Mining Trilogy. The songs are The Sons of Molly by Chuck Rogers - a great song about the Molly McGuires, a society agitating for labor advantages back in the 1800s. Then he sings a great a capella version of Aengus Finnan's O'Shaughnessy's Lament. This is beautiful song; a working man's sad tale of profound loss, at the death of his young wife. The final song on the set is bouncing folk-style, bluegrass-tinged song written by Seamus, called My Father was a Miner. It tells the true story of a freind's father, and his experiences in the mines. It's a great song and a perfect, up-beat close to the trilogy.

There's more ... but I'm running out of gas!

Overall - the focus is on Seamus's fine, rich baritone voice. The instrumentation provides strong, comlimentary accompaniment to the vocal. This is a great album. Well done, Seamus!