The great Celtic-music revival that coincided with the mid-'70s founding of Green Linnet Records still gathers momentum. It has little in common with the sentimental vaudeville songs of Irish American St. Patrick's Day parties and even differs subtly but crucially from the chamber-music elegance of the Chieftains. This is a looser music, born in the pubs rather than the concert halls and aimed at dancing and singing along rather than respectful applause. The movement includes some of the world's best singers and best improvising instrumentalists. I would especially recommend the bands--Bothy Band, Silly Wizard, the Irish Tradition, Celtic Thunder, Patrick Street, Trian, Altan, and, above all, Relativity--but there's a wealth of acoustic music out there and The Twentieth Anniversary Collection is the best place to start.
CD1
01 - The Rainy Day-First You Must Learn The Grip (Seamus Ennis)
02 - Maudabawn Chapel-The Wild Irishman-The Moher Reel (Kevin Burke-Micheal O'Domhnaill)
03 - Dans Loudieg (Kornog)
04 - Oh Mo Dhuthaich (Capercaillie)
05 - Fermanagh Highland-Donegal Highland-John Doherty's-King George IV (Altan)
06 - Farrell O'Gara-The Flogging Reel (Joe Derrane)
07 - Culloden's Harvest (Deanta)
08 - A Farruquina (Milladoiro)
09 - On Horseback (Eileen Ivers)
10 - Chinese Polka-William Durette's Clog-The Boys Of The Lough (Moving Cloud)
11 - The Golden Keyboard-Mayor Harrison's Fedora (Matt Molloy-Sean Keane)
12 - Lover's Heart (Silly Wizard)
13 - Gray Bob-Cutty's Wedding-Loch Carran-Gray Bob (The Tannahill Weavers)
14 - The Humours Of Ballyconnell-Reel Eboulement-Richie Dwyer's (Trian)
15 - The Humours Of Whiskey (Tim Lyons)
16 - Colonel Fraser (Jerry O'Sullivan)
17 - Loftus Jones (The Irish Tradition)
18 - Music For A Found Harmonium (Patrick Street)
19 - There Was A Lady (Relativity)
20 - The Dionne Reel-Mouth Of The Tobique (Kevin Burke-Johnny Cunningham-Christian Lemaitre)
CD2
01 - The Crooked Road-The Foxhunter's Reel (Martin Hayes)
02 - The Cameronian Set The M'Intinn Raoir-Duke Of Gordon-The Cameronian-Lady Of The House (Cherish The Ladies)
03 - The Wishing Tree (Seamus McGuire)
04 - Ballavanich~The Boys From Ballavanich-Mrs. Crehan's (Wolfstone)
05 - Gort To Texas To Honolulu~Master McDermott's-The Plough And The Stars-Dillon Brown (Reeltime)
06 - There Were Roses (Mick Moloney-Jimmy Keane-Robbie O'Connell)
07 - Winnie Hayes' Jig-The Lonesome Jig (John Williams)
08 - Rigney's-Ambrose Moloney's (Paddy O'Brien-Seamus Connolly)
09 - The Two-And-Sixpenny Girl-The Boys Of The Town (Joe Ryan-Eddie Clarke)
10 - Bolen's Fancy-The Dunmore Lasses-The Maid Behind The Bar-The Glass Of Beer (Touchstone)
11 - No Man's Land-Flowers Of The Forest (June Tabor)
12 - Pharaoh (The House Band)
13 - Maud Miller-The Sailor's Return-Paddy Murphy's Wife (James Keane)
14 - The Celtic Lament (Eugene O'Donnell)
15 - Johnny Allen's-Sporting Nell (Billy McComiskey)
16 - Song For Ireland (Dick Gaughan)
17 - Master Crowley's-The Jug Of Punch (Joe Burke)
18 - A Jig And Five Reels The Leitrim Fancy-Around The World For Sport-Rip The Calico (The Bothy Band)