With
Rockall,
the House Band stays within the Celtic tradition and with acoustic instruments, while maintaining a fresh and lively sound. All four group members are multi-intrumentalists, more dedicated to blending and interweaving than soloing. In particular, Roger Wilson uses fiddle and viola as a sympathetic background drone more than as a solo instrument. And Ged Foley's vocals have a matter-of-fact delivery that lets the storytelling tunes alternate effectively with the instrumental tracks.
The group pushes the envelope a little by including
Tom Waits' "Shiver Me Timbers," but their delivery makes it sound like a Celtic ballad, a touch that is a good sign for the continuation of the genre. ~ David Howell