Fiddler's Green's eighth album release combines the rousing Celtic rock impact of their early
Deaf Shepherd releases with the more pop- and rock- oriented direction of their Polydor albums. Clocking in at well over 60 minutes, there is enough material on either side of the divide to please all. Celtic rock fans will be most impressed by the traditional pieces "Bonnie Ship the Diamond," "Weaver's Reel," "Picard Jigs," and "Girls Along the Road." It is with those songs that the folk instruments like fiddle, accordion, mandolin, and bouzouki are most noticeable. The latter half of this album is sure to please those who enjoy sophisticated pop/rock accentuated by ska beats and other unusual touches. "Splendid Isolation" employs a sitar in tandem with violin and accordion within the standard drums, bass, and electric guitar configuration and "Tangerine" is a heavier-sounding piece featuring guest vocals by Eric Fish from
Subway to Sally. That song, with its dark yet invigorating vibe, could even pass as a missing piece to the
Subway catalog. In short,
Folk Raider incorporates the many phases of
Fiddler's Green's career into a unified body of work. ~ Dave Sleger