Orange & Green

With two discs and 32 songs, Orange & Green is an outstanding set of Irish, British, and American folk music. With the first disc being comprised of a spirited live set, the listener gets the treat of hearing the revitalists interact with the excited crowd and give background on the songs they've chosen. The duo coax an amazing diversity of textures out of their wide range of instruments and generally sound as if they are using a whole backup band. On the second disc of studio recordings occasional backup musicians are employed, with the result being a very full and accomplished sound. A majority of the material covered on both discs is in the rambunctious Irish pub style popularized in the United States by the Clancy Brothers, but Fannigan's Isle give equal time to Kingston Trio-type arrangements, bagpipe instrumentals, hornpipes, reels, and jigs. Everything is done in a true jovial spirit of reverence and adds up to make Fannigan's Isle one of the foremost interpreters of traditional tunes. ~ Matt Fink