Album Review - John Spillane, Fíoruisce: The Legend Of The Lough

Fíoruisce: The Legend Of The Lough is an adventurous, three-act, bilingual folk-opera, composed by John Spillane and based on a surreal Victorian fairy-tale, in which an underwater region becomes today’s Lough in Cork city. Or so they say.

The plangent strings and sea-drenched vocals of ‘Réamhcheol/Overture’ set the scene for the gems to come on this towering 24-track work. The record is both delightful and rewarding with a couple of tunes stretching beyond the 10-minute mark.

One of them is ‘Aon Láthair/One Place’, a stirring worksong that gives full value in vocals and sound. More sea sounds and wicked mad voices decorate ‘Crosántacht/Foolsong’, which also boasts infectious rhythms and a bewitching melody. By now, there’s no turning back – you’re in this for the long trawl.

Fíoruisce: The Legend Of The Lough is not merely Spillane’s most adventurous LP, it will also break fresh ground for Irish folk fans in search of new dimensions. With all the dramatic ebb and flow of a conventional opera, it features a broad sweep of different styles, with love songs, dancing and lullabies all in the mix.

Cork people often swear you can see the tops of the underwater towers in the Lough on a clear day, and hear the music of their partying in midsummer. After listening to Spillane’s mammoth work, you’ll probably believe them.

8/10

Out now