Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    Would a review of this disc be possible? I've been tempted to buy
    it myself but don't know much about the artist(s).

    Brief overview of Clannad (there's some discussion of them in
    COMET::RECORDS Note #6):
    
    Clannad is a family group (one set of three siblings and one set
    of two siblings who are uncles to the first set) from Ireland that
    started out doing traditional Celtic folk music. As time and
    albums went by, they became increasingly "electric". They reached
    a turning point in their career with the release of MAGICAL RING
    (see discography below). While still having a fairly strong folk
    flavor to the music, there was a very strong "spacey, electronic"
    style to the music. This new style became more pronounced over
    the next couple of albums. As I note in a review I posted to the
    FOLK_MUSIC conference (included below), SIRIUS I consider to be
    their breaking point with their traditional roots, having moved
    completely over the line to the pop/rock camp.
    
    Note: Clannad is one of my favorite groups, and I like both their
    acoustic, traditional material *and* their pop/rock stuff. For the
    record (so to speak), my favorites are: CLANNAD IN CONCERT, CRANN
    ULL, and MAGICAL RING.

    Discography:
    
    This lists all of Clannad's albums, for the sake of completeness,
    with notations on what's available on CD.
    
    Album		Year	Avail. on CD? (label)
    
    CLANNAD		1973	no
    
    CLANNAD 2		1974	no
    
    D�LAM�N		1976	no
    
    CLANNAD IN CONCERT	1978	Shanachie 79030
    
    CRANN ULL		1980	no
    
    FUAIM		1982	no
    
    MAGICAL RING	1983	RCA (UK only) PD 70003
    
    LEGEND		1984	RCA (UK only) PD 70188
    
    MACALLA		1986	RCA PCD1-8063
    
    THE COLLECTION	1987	K-Tel International (UK only) CD 215
    
    RING OF GOLD	1987	Celtic Music (UK only) CM CD 034
    
    SIRIUS		1987	RCA PD 71513 (catalog # for UK import)
    
    Notes:
    
    (1) LEGEND is a "soundtrack" for the British tv show THE LEGEND
    	OF ROBIN HOOD.
    
    (2) THE COLLECTION is a good sampler for those who want to know
    	what Clannad is like, though a tad on the expensive side
    	because it's an import. It's one flaw is that it's weighed
    	more toward their later, electronic style than their earlier,
    	traditional style. For people who are already Clannad fans,
        it's probably not worth getting except by the hard core fan.
    	Of the 13 songs on the disc, all but 3 are from albums already
    	available on CD. Of the ones that aren't, one is from D�LAM�N
    	(the title song), and the other two are from FUAIM.
    
    (3) RING OF GOLD at first looked like a compilation of material
    	from their first three albums, but when I got it home to play
    	it, I found out that it was a concert album! Except for "Down
    	by the Sally Gardens" and "Nil S'en La", the contents are
    	completely different from CLANNAD IN CONCERT, and it's obvious
    	from those two selections that this was recorded at a different
    	concert than the other. These two concert albums are really
    	the only CD's which will give the new listener an idea of what
    	the older, traditional-style Clannad is like.
    
    Review of SIRIUS (from the FOLK_MUSIC conference):
    
    (Note: this review was done a few months ago, when this album
    was only available as a British import.)

    There's good news and (sorta) bad news. The good news is that
    Clannad have come out with a new album, SIRIUS. I haven't seen
    a vinyl copy yet, but found a CD of it at BCD. It's an import
    (on RCA) so it costs extra ($20.99). The (sorta) bad news is
    that with this album, Clannad makes a clean break from the
    field of folk music. They've drifted progressively more towards
    rock, but even with their previous album, MACALLA, they kept a
    little of their folk roots. SIRIUS seems to me to be straight
    light rock. It's *good*, mind you, but it ain't no way folk
    music. If you liked MAGICAL RING, LEGEND, and MACALLA, you'll
    undoubtedly like this, but don't expect to hear the "old" Clannad.
    
    (And apparently, they felt Bono Vox's "guest appearance" on
    MACALLA was a success, so they have three here: Bruce Hornsby
    (on two cuts), Steve Perry (from Journey), and John David
    Souther.)
    
    --- jerry

    I am curious as to what "sound" does this group have? Are
    they similar to U2? The Moody Blues? Other? I have never
    heard any of their music, so have no reference point. 
    I know it was mentioned, that they used to be more folk,
    and have migrated to rock, but what type?
    
                  Thanks
    
                     Wayne

    re:.3
    
    Sorry, I can't help you there. They don't sound like anyone
    else I'm familiar with. Would it suffice to say that they
    sound more like U2 than they do like Van Halen? It's light-
    to-moderate rock, no blistering guitar solos or anything of
    that sort.
    
    --- jerry

    Clannad are a cross of the moody blues and supertramp. sort-of.

    Hi there,
    
    I would agree with .5, but on Macalla there are influences of Dire
    Straits as well. I rate Macalla as their best album to date, it
    is less comercially oriented than Sirius (which is performed entirely
    in english). Another good one is Magical Ring which again has mixture
    of folk/rock songs. If we are talking in terms of value for money
    don't buy Legend on CD, the whole album only lasts about 36 minutes.

    	Regards,    
    	   Graham.

    well if you live in mass. on channel 68 at 8pm robin hood is on.
    clannad do the background music.  they are a little faster nowadays.
    
    
    kelly

    re .7 ? I looked at the tv guide ch 68, but no Robin Hood. Are you
    sure of the channel, is it on a certain day? 
    
             Wayne

    you are right,he is gone! the last time i watched it was before
    christmas.
    
    well i am sure that it is still around. i dont know if it is still
    a series in england or not.
    
    there are two versions of robinhood that i have seen over here.
    
    one is a really old show(skip that one). the one i am talking about
    has sean connerys son playing robin.
    
    kelly

    i found where it went
    
    for the week of march 13 they have it listed as being on
    sundays at 1:00 p.m. ch.68
    so check that time frame.
    the music is good and it is a really good t.v. show as well.
    
    kelly

    It hasn't been a series here for a few years.
    
    ANdy (in the UK)

    
    
    Just an FYI. The R.H. series starring the young Connery actually
    premiered in the U.S. on a pay channel - SHOWTIME. It figures that
    it would be available on public T.V. rather than commercial...it
    apparently is highly thought of and isn't trite enough for commercial
    viewers.
    
    And...the music is very, very good !!!
    
    O.k. - 'nuff t.v. stuff in the CD notes...sorry for the digression.
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    re .9 I will check out the tv listings, thanks.....BTW I used
    to love the "other series with Richard Greene as Robin...Is
    that showing my age?? As I recall, the music was usually a
    fanfare of sorts....didn't Maid Marian go down on the Titanic?
    
    
     Wayne

    
    
    re.-1  I believe the Richard Greene "Robin" was Walt Disney's, wasn't
    he ....or was that Richard Todd ??  I do recall the title song for
    that show, too; went something like:
    
    Robin Hood, Robin Hood
    Riding through the glen
    Robin Hood, Robin Hood
    With his band of men
    
    Feared by the rich,
    loved by the poor
    Robin Hood.....Robin Hood...Robin Hood
    
    Now there's a sign of age (old). As for Maid Marian..er, ah, sinking
    on the Titanic.....hmmmmm, is there a joke there somewhere ?? Sorry!
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    Sorry, Al. I do believe that there was a Robin Hood serial of
    some sort on the Disney show, but the Richard Greene tv show
    was produced in England. You got the right theme song, anyways.
    
    We *really* should take this to UCOUNT::TV if we're going to
    continue this...
    
    --- jerry

    well i went to boston compact disc last night and picked up the
    last two clannad cds for my collection.
    
    magical ring  20.49 *gulp*
    legend        21.99 *sigh*
    altogether i have five of them. if anybody is that interested in
    clannad send me a tape and i will make up a demo,nobody is going
    to spend 22.00 on a group they have never heard before....
    
    kelly

    Hi,
    
    I am a new Clannad fan. Were they in Boston this week? I would be
    sorry to hear that. I would have gone to see them. 
    
    I just bought Sirius and a friend from England sent a tape of the
    Collection. I heard Macalla the other night and really like that
    also (it was on cassette).
    
    I think that Sirius sounds a bit like the group Renaissance
    (Ashes are Burning).
    
    Ruth-Ellen

    re:.17
    
    No, they weren't in Boston this week; they were in Boston last
    month. You missed a great show.
    
    I suppose one perception is as good as another, but I don't see
    the similarities with Renaissance at all. Other than the fact
    that (recent) Clannad and Renaissance are both straight rock bands
    that everyone seems to think are folk-rock bands. :-)
    
    --- jerry

The former female lead singer in Clannad,is out with
an album on her own.She goes under the name Enya,and
the album is  titled "Watermark".
It contains music of extreme beauty,ethereal would not
be a too strong word to use about her voice/music,I think.
If you hearded "Harrys theme" from "Magical Ring" - Clannad,
it would give you an idea of what the music on this album
sounds like....GREAT!

Svein Nordrum

    re:.19
    
    I don't think Enya is "the former female lead singer". The
    "F.F.L.S." of Clannad was and is still Maire Brennan. Her sister
    (argh! forget the name) was credited as a vocalist on only
    one Clannad album, and I believe it's the sister that's Enya.
    
    --- jerry

    A new Clannad has appeared, but it's a bit different from their
    previous albums. It's an import CD from BBC Records, and it's
    a soundtrack for a BBC production called ATLANTIC REALM. The
    material is not their old trad style, nor their current pop
    style. It's a folky sort of New Age style, similar to sister
    Enya's BBC soundtrack for THE CELTS (released in the US as simply
    ENYA). If you like ENYA/THE CELTS, you'll undoubtedly like this
    one. I like it a lot.
    
    --- jerry