Patrick Street albums don't come along every day, or even every year. The musicians are certainly the cream of the crop, with a long pedigree between them, as well as great skill and knowledge of the tradition. They're at their best on the tunes, if only because
Andy Irvine, for all that he's been around, isn't the world's greatest Irish singer. That said, he does a fair job on "Sergeant Small" and especially the lovely "The Galway Shawl," a piece that deserves to be better known. The vast majority of the music is from the deep tradition, plus one each by
John Carty and
Kevin Burke, and the playing, as should be expected, is majestic throughout. The band gives a stately quality to Irish music, rather than the raucous session-type feel injected by so many groups, and with it comes a strong dignity. Former member
Jackie Daly guests on sets of polkas and reels, his accordion adding some bottom end to the sound. As always, this
Patrick Street album is worth the wait.