THE BOOK OF KELLS

Contemplative music, with Celtic and prog influences. You really have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it. When I'm in the right mood, I like The Book of Kells a lot, but at other moments I find it a bit tedious. The most progressive song is the 11-minute epic: Matthew - The Man, which is one of the highlights. I also really like The River Flows and Kells. They share a sense of hope and continuity. Towards the end, the music starts to rely more on atmosphere than on melody. The atmospheric pieces do have a pleasant sound, but most of them are a bit boring.

The music Iona plays refuses to be in a hurry. The Book of Kells itself has been around for centuries and this album also wants to take it's time. It forces you to slow down if you want to enjoy it. If you take that time, you can be surprised by it's beauty and a spirituality that makes you feel connected with a faith that has lasted through the ages. But at times it is more of a spiritual than a musical journey. Musically there is not always enough going on, especially in the second half of the album, to warrant a rating of 5 stars. Sometimes Iona relies way too much on atmosphere, without enough musical ideas to back it up. Still The Book of Kells is quite good and if you're interested in Iona, you are certainly advised to buy this one. It is one of their best studio albums.