Celtic
music -- Irish and Scottish as well as Breton -- has moved in many different directions in the '90s and the 21st century. There are still plenty of
traditional Celtic
artists (both singers and instrumentalists) playing
standards
that their ancestors embraced in Dublin, Glasgow, or Belfast long ago -- and on the contemporary side, everything from
new age
to
electronica
punk
can be found if one knows where to look. The fact that there are so many styles to choose from shows the overall health of
music, and the fact that a
folk-rock
band like
Tempest
is willing to look to many different places for inspiration on
The Double-Cross
exemplifies the sort of open-mindedness that isn't hard to find on the modern
scene. Essentially,
is the best way to describe this 50-minute CD; there is no reason why
and similar outfits shouldn't wear that term like a badge of honor. But that doesn't mean that their material cannot come from a variety of places -- and on
,
puts their stamp on everything from
"Eppy Moray"
(a traditional Scottish song) to the traditional Norwegian
folk song
"Per Spelmann"
to the Finnish
polka
"Sakijarven Polka"
(which is incorporated on lead singer
Lief Sorbye
's
"Black Eddy"
). Of course, performing Scandinavian songs in a
-oriented setting isn't a stretch when you consider the Nordic influence in Celtic culture -- the Vikings who invaded the British Isles before and during the medieval period (which lasted from 1000-1450, according to historians) clearly left their mark -- but still, the inclusion of songs that didn't originate in Ireland, Scotland, or Brittany shows
's very global outlook.
is an album that rocks passionately on both instrumentals and vocal offerings, although there is never any doubt that
's roots run deep on this fine addition to their catalog. ~ Alex Henderson