Rock in the Stream

The Barra MacNeils' second release did not stray too far from the format of their first. The expert playing of fiddles and tin whistles is still there, as are their arrangements mixing traditional Canadian maritime and Celtic folk music. And, as with their first release, The Barra MacNeils, it works. On this album, the Barras utilize their voices more, relying on incredible harmonies; just listen to "Coaltown Road" for an example of their wonderful vocal arrangements. Perhaps the biggest difference found on this album is the introduction of more ballad-oriented tracks, mostly co-written by Stewart MacNeil. The exquisitely beautiful "Red Ice" is full of bittersweet images of springtime in the maritimes and the hope it brings. Then, Stewart (with co-writer David Cross) is able to write a song about loneliness in the city ("Standing by the Subway"), beautifully sung by Lucy MacNeil. Both songs feature Sheumas MacNeil's piano playing, which adds to the richness of these songs. Overall, a good album of Celtic/traditional sounds that fans of such would enjoy a great deal.