Liam O Maonlai has one of the most soulful voices in contemporary Irish music, but it has often been ill-served by indifferent songs. For his long-awaited first solo album he’s chosen a bunch of mostly traditional songs and tunes, many of which have mystical (and mist-ical) undertones and overtones. Most of the instruments are played by the man himself, with fine contributions from Caroline Dale on cello and Justin Adams on the African ngoni, all helping to create a provocative blend of old Irish, Christian, African and spiritual vibes.
‘Seoladh na nGamhna’ is a truly stirring piano-led instrumental, while ‘Inion An Fhaoit On nGleann’ is a panoramic Clannad-style treatment of a plaintive song about an unattainable love. Two deeply Christian works by O Riada are given uplifting treatments, ‘Ar nAthair’, with its overtones of the orient, and the highly percussive ‘Ag Criost An Siol’. A bunch of reels are stirred along by tribal drums, and with percussion playing a key role in many of the tracks, this is an album that goes beyond merely applying the standard approach to Irish songs and tunes. His whistle playing, meanwhile, gets a welcome outing on ‘The Old Bush’.
Just occasionally O Maonlai cracks alaarmingly, but there’s a conviction and an honesty about this album that helps it join the dots between the modern-day Kila and the work of centuries past.