Lá Nua is Lunasa’s seventh album and their first studio effort since Se in 2006. Underpinning their collective sound is the engine room roar of Trevor Hutchinson on bass and Paul Meehan on guitar and bouzouki. They create a dizzying backdrop against which others can soar. Throughout, the range of music sources is impressive, with several tunes penned by Kevin Crawford and Ciaran Vallely, while others are borrowed from Brittany, Galicia, and Asturia in ‘Tro Breizh’ and ‘Pontevedra To Carcarosa’, and from Scotland for ‘The Inverness County Reel’.
‘Ryestraw’ makes inventive use of Sean Smyth’s fiddle and Vallely’s piping. ‘The Raven’s Rock’ medley features low whistles weaving around each other, with Gerry O’Beirne’s National Steel adding some delicious textures. ‘Fruitmarket Reels’ sees the band stick more rigidly to traditional atmospherics and the ‘Island Lake’ sees Crawford playing emotional tribute to his recently deceased father. Fine stuff.