They’ve been very active in the live arena of late, touring across Europe and America and releasing an acclaimed live album/DVD of their 2011 Christchurch, Dublin concert. But it’s still hard to believe that Clannad (celebrating forty years on the road this year) haven’t released a new studio album in over fifteen years.
Blending the past, present and future in their own unique way, Nádur (Nature) picks up from where their last album – the Grammy-winning Landmark – left off. It also sees the return of Pól Brennan, re-uniting the original line-up last heard on 1989’s Past Present. Words such as haunting, ethereal and mystical are par for the course when it comes to trying to describe Clannad’s singular sound. From the rhythmic/instrumental textures and Moya Brennan’s familiar strains on the album’s opener, ‘Vellum’, it’s clear that they’re as sonically creative as ever. ‘Rhapsody na gCann’ – co-written with controversial poet, Cathal O Searcaigh – is a more jaunty, upbeat tune, while Moya’s voice is pure and unadorned on ‘Transatlantic’ (penned with the rather less controversial Colum McCann) and featuring a backdrop of just piano and harp.
Elsewhere, ‘Brave Enough’ – a duet with Duke Special – sees the two voices from across the generations come together on an engaging tune with a memorable melody while ‘The Fishing Blues’ is nearly, if not quite a country number. Once again, Moya’s voice is heard to stunning effect on the soaring ‘The Song In Your Heart’ – the shimmering strings, plucked harp and intermittent pounding of a drum-beat creating the kind of dramatic tension and dynamics that are a hallmark of the Clannad sound.
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Key Track: 'The Song In Our Heart'