Firewire

This is a record that took the best part of three years to make -- quite a chunk of the 19 year musical partnership these two have enjoyed. From the very beginning, their virtuosity is never in doubt, as the pair slip and slide around each other on a disc that combines traditional, contemporary and original work. Maire Ni Chathasaigh is a wonderfully affecting harpist, never more so than on the solo "Molly St. George," where the hanging notes of the air speak as loudly as the ripple of strings. Chris Newman offers his dextrous fingers on mandolin, bass and guitars, shining quietly throughout -- and therein lies the problem. As good as this album is -- and the musicianship is very good indeed -- there's no sense of taking chances or pushing to the edge. Things brighten a little when Nollaig Casey joins on fiddle, making things a bit rawer, but even the neo-bluegrass of "Big Scotia" seems too comfortable. The instrumentals fare better than the vocal tracks (Ni Chathasaigh is an adequate, not a great, singer), but all in all, stunning as the playing is, this comes across as too polite and controlled. ~ Chris Nickson|