Best Of Altan: The Songs;

Collecting several of Altan's vocal tracks on a single CD is a fine idea. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's dewy folk soprano is always a joy to hear, whether she is singing in Irish or English, as is her magnificent fiddling. The other band members are on their game, too. "Girl From The North Country," "Green Grow The Rushes," "I Wish My Love Was A Red Red Rose," and "Gleanntáin Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair" (aka "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore") have seldom sounded so fine. The songs are well-chosen and careful attention was paid to the chemistry between selections. The sole caveat is that die-hard fans probably already own Another Sky, Runaway Sunday, The Blue Idol, and Blackwater, the albums from which the material was cherry-picked. However, as a gift for a friend who has never heard of Altan or is a newcomer to Irish neo-traditional music, this compilation would be hard to beat. --Christina Roden