[BRBJackson]

I'm looking to expand my Chieftans collection beyond "Tears of Stone", the only one I currently have, and am very fond of. Out of the available selections at YourMusic.com (yes, I'm being a cheap person

):

Live From Dublin: A Tribute To Derek Bell
Further Down The Old Plank Road
Down The Old Plank Road-The Nashville Sessions
The Wide World Over - A 40 Year Celebration
Water From The Well
Collection - Very Best Of The Claddagh Years
From The Beginning - 1 To 4 (Remastered)
The Long Black Veil
The Best Of The Chieftains (Remastered)
An Irish Evening
The Bells Of Dublin

What should be my next couple of acquisitions, and why? TIA!!

 

[catachresis]

I should think the Chieftains' 1-4 Remastered would be very good value and very compelling music. I believe their No. 1 remains my favourite of their group efforts.

 

[wnewport]

Long Black Veil is awesome, but it is the only one I own. I have had it for years and still love it.

 

[FalconP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRBJackson I'm looking to expand my Chieftans collection beyond "Tears of Stone", the only one I currently have, and am very fond of. Out of the available selections at YourMusic.com (yes, I'm being a cheap person ): Live From Dublin: A Tribute To Derek Bell Further Down The Old Plank Road Down The Old Plank Road-The Nashville Sessions The Wide World Over - A 40 Year Celebration Water From The Well Collection - Very Best Of The Claddagh Years From The Beginning - 1 To 4 (Remastered) The Long Black Veil The Best Of The Chieftains (Remastered) An Irish Evening The Bells Of Dublin What should be my next couple of acquisitions, and why? TIA!!

My question will be?
1) How many CDs do you want?
2) Do you prefer traditional stuff or fusion stuff?

The Chieftains 1-4 set is definitely essential: you'll want to hear what they have sounded like in the beginning (and yes, even in those early days they sounded different from other Irish trad bands). The remaster was superb; you won't believe you're listening to provincial recordings in the early 60s and 70s.

After that, I'd go for Water From The Well, for the chamber-music-like take on traditional music, more representive of the band as of late. I have the Derek Bell Tribute album sitting around but havn't gone through it yet.

I don't have a preference to the two Nashvile Sessions -- volume 1 has an absolutely rousing finale similar to what they use to end each concert, but the material in volume 2 seems stronger to me. I'm more attached to their old country crossover In Another Country though.

Long Black Veil is a pop-music collab, more similar in style to Tear of Stones

There are little reason to go for the best-of albums: Very Best Of The Claddagh Years is just a summary of C1-4, with a piece from C5 I think; The Wide World Over is a collection taken from their output under RCA victor; the little new material are quite weak.

 

[BRBJackson]

Great, thanks for all the info, folks!

Quote:

My question will be? 1) How many CDs do you want? 2) Do you prefer traditional stuff or fusion stuff?

I was thinking 3-4 titles, and suspect I would prefer more traditional stuff, seeing as I already have a 'fusion' CD of theirs. Sounds like "From the Beginning" might have to go in my shopping basket.