Author Jack Croxall visited Fight for Your Write today to talk about music as inspiration for his debut novel, Tethers. Go take a look!
Tag: music
A St. Patrick’s Day Treat
Review (of sorts) for Lunasa with the RTE Orchestra
As a music blogger, I often get samples for review. Sometimes, the music I receive doesn’t fit the blog for which I write, and I have to sadly forego the review. In almost every case, I enjoy the music on my own time and wish I could find another outlet to let people know about the beauty I’ve absorbed. The latest album from Lunasa is one such album, but I enjoyed it so much, I had to share somewhere.
As most of you know, my husband is Irish. (Nooooo, really?) St. Patrick’s Day is something like Christmas around my house. We usually pick a city and take a roadtrip to enjoy the Irish culture in faraway places that aren’t as far away as Ireland. In the past, we’ve enjoyed New York City, Boston, Chicago, Denver, and Louisville. The Highlands of Louisville turned out to be so fun, we went back again this year. And we took Lunasa with us.
What can I say about this inspired CD? We were in the mood for traditional Irish, though Liam probably expected a rousing drinking song. What we got was far better. Opening with the lilting Casu, Lunasa captured us immediately. The harp, fiddle, uilleann pipes wove a mystical setting, and we all shut our mouths to listen. The song received the highest of praise from Liam, which was “feels like home.”
We loved the next song, Leckan Mor, just as much but for different reasons. The reel is playful, featuring the Irish flute (or penny whistle), but not at all grating. It perked us right up before slipping into another dance tune named, appropriately, Spoil the Dance.
I’ll admit we talked over the album as it played, but that was okay. When it reached the end, we let it repeat. And then again. The haunting An Buachaillin Ban stopped our conversation (and my heart) more than once, calling to mind ancient Irish hills, chilling mist, and ghosts of legend. Morning Nightcap inspired the dance and chatter again, as well as the lively Breton Set and The Minor Bee. The final song, The Merry Sisters of Fate, was so lush and full, we all had to stop and just listen again.
We had every intention of rocking U2, The Cranberries, Van Morrison, and even some Dropkick Murphys. And we did get plenty of raucous Irish fun in. But the best part—the part where we all felt truly connected to Liam’s homeland—was when we played Lunasa with the RTE Orchestra.
If you love Irish music, this is a must. In fact, check out some of their other albums from past years. I intend to listen over and over while writing book three from The Kingdom series, because the images these songs evoke are powerful. You won’t regret giving it a listen.
Music Makes the World
A few weeks ago, I got to sit down with some pretty cool people and talk about the kind of music I like to hear. American Cadence Records is a company here in Nashville that is dedicated to providing artists a safe haven for their creations, and that’s not something a lot of record companies are willing to do anymore. Logan Buerlein and Kiernan McMullan were brimming with excitement about their new venture, and it made me excited, too – so excited that I want to share what they’re doing with the WORLD! Obviously, my reach is rather limited, but I do get to tell the people I know all about it.
Here’s the deal: unsigned artists can talk with American Cadence about doing a record – any kind of record – and get the production quality and attention to detail they deserve. Of course, the guys won’t work with just anyone. They have to feel there’s some potential there, but the range of music is wide open. They’re not trying to put people into little boxes or tell the public what the public should be listening to. This excites me! I can’t wait to hear what they come up with.
But wait! There’s MORE. They do this series called Wood & Wire, where signed and unsigned artists can record raw and real, acoustic or plugged, and the finished product is a limited edition vinyl. Only one hundred copies are pressed, making it an instant collector’s item. That’s pretty cool, but it’s not the coolest part. The amazing thing is that one hundred percent of the proceeds from the Wood & Wire series are donated to WO Smith Music School here in Nashville.
What is WO Smith Music School? It’s a not-for-profit school that provides music education to underprivileged kids. I’m talking about music classes and private lessons for just fifty cents per session. Those of you who know me know that music education is pretty dear to me – I was once a music teacher. Starting a music school with this kind of service is something I’ve always dreamed about, and someone is doing it better. I don’t mind that they stole my idea as long as kids are getting the education they deserve.
As you might imagine, I’m pretty stoked about all of this. I shared the information about American Cadence Records, WO Smith Music School, and the Wood & Wire series on Awaiting the Flood, but that’s just not enough for me. More people need to know what these incredible people are doing. I hope people will be inspired to buy American Cadence albums, donate time or money to the school, or just tell more people about it. This is the kind of dedication to music we should be celebrating!
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