Síol/Seed
Magherabawn Records OPPCD 2;
50 minutes; undated (2001?)
As compilations go, Síol is something of an oddity. The
brainchild of Anita and Tommy Hayes, the album was compiled to provide financial
support for the Irish Seed Savers Association (ISSA) and carries the subtitle
“Artists Supporting Freedom of Biodiversity”, those artists donating their
services and, in a few cases, previous recordings to the project. For those unfamiliar with the aims of the
ISSA, the liner provides this neat definition:
The
joy of making a connection with the past is continually reinforced in our work
at the Irish Seed Savers Association. We meet people, hearing old stories, in our
efforts to collect and preserve native Irish apple trees, old varieties of
vegetable seed, fruit, grain and potatoes. Once collected these old varieties
are grown on and redistributed among our members who play a vital role in
keeping them alive and circulating. A living link to the past and a prayer for
the future.
The parallels with traditional music should be obvious and this album provides ample reinforcement.
Compilations are often rightly accused or rounding up “the usual
suspects”, but, while leaning heavily towards well-known musicians with Clare
or Galway connections, the fact several of the contributors have chosen to make
new recordings should entice your interest.
These include Martin Hayes, whose opening tune The Brown Coffin
features appropriately sparse bodhrán from Tommy Hayes, and Karan Casey who
provides a stark unaccompanied rendition of Ian Campbell’s The Sun is
Burning. Ronan Browne provides his own multi-tracked soundscape, blending
flutes, pipes and keyboards on Critical Mass and there’s another
multi-instrumental offering from Paul Tiernan who offers his theme tune to RTÉ Nationwide’s
weekly environmental slot. Rhonwen Hayes (surely some relation?) renders the
splendid song Is Tú Mo Ghrá, a surprisingly sensitive song from the pen
of Kíla’s Colm Ó Snodaigh which features a nowadays all to rare recorded outing
for the uilleann piper Máire Ní Ghráda (albeit of the very much in the
background droning type).
Previously recorded tracks have been donated by Cormac Breathnach, Máire
Breatnach, Kieran Hanrahan, Andy Irvine, Máirtín O’Connor, Finola Ó Siochrú and
Kíla, but this should be of little concern since few potential purchasers are
likely to have more than a couple of these.
The cause is a worthy one and the music is diverse enough in its own
ways to show just how promising the future can be, making this a project
meriting much support.
This is an original review by Geoff Wallis.
Details of the
album are available from agarvey@indigo.ie.