Local Ground


Local Ground is the ninth studio album by Irish folk music group Altan, released in March 2005 on the Narada label.

Recording

For the recording of Local Ground, Altan invited a few of their friends in music to play on the album. Former Bothy Band founder Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill plays piano on guitarist Dáithí Sproule's composition "The Roseville", a kind of a slip-reel. Steve Cooney guests on bass and Dónal Lunny adds guitar. Altan have asked Galician piper Carlos Núñez to contribute some gaita to two tracks. Bodhrán maestro Jim Higgins provides the rhythmic pulse on many of the tracks while Graham Henderson adds some touches of keyboard colour to a set of reels.

Artwork and title

The cover art is a reproduction of a painting by Kilkenny-based artist Bernadette Kiely. The album title "Local Ground" comes from the painting title.

Critical reception

Local Ground received a very positive review from the musicscotland.com website, describing it as «an album of beauty, energy, grace and finesse, retaining the enthusiasm that originally shaped music.»
The album also received a warm review from Amazon.com website's critic Christina Roden, stating: «For , the veteran Irish ensemble has gathered 13 traditional and newly composed tunes. The set list includes several of the jaunty dance tunes that are the soul of Irish music. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's fragile, girlish soprano creates many of the album's most memorable moments "Adieu My Lovely Nancy" and lullaby "Dun Do Shuil". The entire album has home-town warmth to it, a sense of achieved heritage that is at once soothing and invigorating.»

Track listing

Source
All songs, medleys and tunes are traditional, except as indicated.

Personnel

Altan

Adapted from the AllMusic credits.
  1. "Éirigh 's Cuir Ort Do Chuid Éadaigh": guitar – Dónal Lunny; percussion – Jim Higgins; the title of the song means "Arise now and dress yourself quickly"
  2. "Tommy Peoples/The Road to Cashel/The Repeal of the Union/Richie's Reel": bodhrán – Jim Higgins; keyboards – Graham Henderson
  3. "Is the Big Man Within?/Tilly Finn's Reel": bodhrán – Jim Higgins; whistle, bagpipes – Carlos Núñez
  4. "Adieu, My Lovely Nancy": bass – Stephen Cooney; percussion – Jim Higgins
  5. "Bó Mhín Na Toitean/Con McGinley's Highland/Seanamhach Tube Station"
  6. "Amhrán Pheadair Bhreathnaigh": bass – Stephen Cooney; translated by Proinsias Ó Maonaigh
  7. "The Roseville": percussion – Jim Higgins; piano – Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill
  8. "As I Roved Out"
  9. "Spórt": percussion – Jim Higgins
  10. "The Humours of Castlefin/Nia's Dance/An Dúidín": bass – Stephen Cooney; percussion – Jim Higgins
  11. "The Wind and Rain": bass – Stephen Cooney; bodhrán – Jim Higgins
  12. "The Silver Slipper": percussion – Jim Higgins; whistle, bagpipes – Carlos Núñez
  13. "Dún Do Shúil": backing vocals – Ciaran Tourish, Dáithí Sproule, Mark Kelly; keyboards – Graham Henderson; translated by Proinsias Ó Maonaigh; the title of the song means "Close Your Eyes"

    Live performances

Altan played live in concert the following tracks: