CLANNAD IN CONCERT

An excellent, particularly valuable release, due to three reasons. First, it shows how great the band worked on stage in their early years. Second, to some extent it resurrects the spirit of long gone minstrels' times when the meaning of the word 'performance' was not the same as nowadays. And finally, the band performs not their well-known hits but mostly exclusive songs not available on their studio albums and singles, as if In Concert was their next (4th) album from 1978, just recorded live this time. Only Planxty Burke was later rearranged and re-recorded in studio for Crann Ull, and Nil Se'n La was taken from the debut album - but performed live in a totally different manner, with long instrumental passages, improvisations etc, I'd say not too far from early Jethro Tull. A pearl to be marked is short but amazing Mhaire Bruinneal, an unaccompanied vocal track.