Celtic-ized covers from The Indulgers
Jenn Goodland | 06/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow - they've done it again. This band ROCKS!!! Their 3rd cd "Celtic Tiger" features The Indulgers' version of various cover songs - wait till you hear "Born To Be Wild", "Freebird", "Go, Move, Shift" and all the other songs done up right in the celtic mode! It's fabulous - the band's creativity and original touches seem endless. I can't stop playing the cd, it's so satisfying. What strikes me is The Indulgers' versatility - fast, slow, classic rock, a couple of traditional Irish ballads - they run with it - it all has their hallmark, that lyrical musicality with superb vocals and arrangements. As usual, you can't help tapping your toes - the usual response to The Indulgers' dynamic energy . Guitars, violin-fiddle, drums, bass and melodic harmonies all combine to once again blow us nicely away. I highly recommend this enjoyable experience!"
Irish Rocks!
Jenn Goodland | 08/17/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Indulgers take tradition to a higher place where we can listen to and rediscover some standards done in a very contemporary way--full of life and new rhythms that pulsate, but at the same time, evoke an earlier era. It makes me want to get up and do more than an Irish jig! Wonderful blend of instrumental sounds that aren't easily forgotten. This band just keeps getting better......"
The best Indulgers album - in my opinion.
Jenn Goodland | Denver | 02/18/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I qualify this because it's said about Indulgers fans that two of them have four favorite albums. Nobody seems to be able to settle on exactly which one is the best, which says a lot for the Indulgers's consistency and the product they put out.
Celtic Tiger happens to be my longtime favorite. It's no coincidence that the production touches are also the lightest, allowing Damien's vocals and Renee's fiddling to shine through and play off of each other. On this album, at times the playing is so expressive that it's almost as if the fiddle *is* a second lead vocal.
Standout tracks are: a cover of the Waterboys's "Fisherman's Blues" with a slight (very slight) Dylan undertone, an interpretation that strays from the bar anthem it's become in the hands of some bands; "Back Home in Derry," a fiery protest anthem; the bilingual "Peigin/Dirty Old Town," the live version of which begs for on-stage shenanigans and a rather amusing Elvis impersonation; and the happiest song about dead lovers I've ever heard, "Loch Lomond," which takes on a fondly nostalgic tone in the hands of the band instead of the heart-rending sobfest I've heard with other versions. The latter is certainly a different take and the tone may be unintended, but it's excellent and contains a melancholy romanticism.
Oh, and "Freebird." I can't stand Skynyrd (sorry!) and I like this cover.
4.5 stars out of 5, but only because I wish it could move a little closer to the raw energy of the live shows."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1