Various Artists : Fire Draw Near: An Anthology of Irish Traditional Song and Music

River Lea (a division of Rough Trade) releases Fire Draw Near – an album of Irish traditional songs and music from the archives, compiled by Ian Lynch of Dublin band Lankum.

This LP is a collection of 13 rare, strange and wonderful gems from the Irish tradition. Recorded in various parts of the country over a period of over 60 years between 1947 and 2013. They show us a strong, multi-faceted and vibrant musical tradition in the country; one that still exists in the present day. The settings are varied bars, living rooms, campsites, recording studios as are the backgrounds of those who perform. The music of the Travellers, who tended to the flame of tradition while the rest of society began to lose interest is well-represented, as are styles ranging from sean-ns singing in Connemara, Donegal fiddle-playing, uilleann piping from Dublin and English language singing of ballads both bawdy and beautiful from across Ireland. – Ian Lynch