Clannad 2

1	An Gabhar Bán 3:15
2	Eleanor Plunkett 2:49
3	Coinleach Ghlas an Fhómair 5:46
4	Rince Philib A'Cheoil 1:51
5	By Chance It Was 5:41
6	Rince Briotanach 3:14
7	Dheanainn Súgradh 5:39
8	Gaoth Barra Na dTonn 2:33
9	Teidhir Abhaile Riú 2:48
10	Fairly Shot of Her 2:21
11	Chuaigh Me 'Na Rosann 6:18

Barnes & Noble

Once upon a time, before Volkswagen ads, hit movie scores, and New Age superstardom, were two Irish sisters named Maire and Eithne Ni Bhraonain (that's Mary and Enya Brennan), who liked to hang with their brothers and uncles and sing old Gaelic songs in their father's pub. They got pretty good, called themselves Clannad ("Family" in Irish), and hit the road, becoming an instant draw at folk festivals. Enya split early on, and by the mid-'80s, her voice filled book shops worldwide. Clannad ultimately followed her to Celtica's rock and New Age frontier, but not without leaving behind a popcorn trail of lovely trad albums. Its second effort best captures the band's early glory -- the rumbling, snare-driven march of "Rince Philib a'Cheol"; haunting work songs such as "Dheanainn Sugradh," supercharged with judiciously placed surges of electric guitar; the blue note that wafts into the lover's lament "Coinleach Ghlas an Fhomhair"; the slow-spinning piano that moves under "By Chance It Was." Throughout, Mary Brennan's voice shines like a lighthouse through the mist. CLANNAD 2 radiates the cozy charm of home and hearth, but the band was clearly keeping an eye on the goings-on outside the kitchen window. Erik Goldman

All Music Guide

Though the group would eventually drift into new age territory, with its second effort Clannad was still rooted firmly in traditionalism. Sung almost entirely in Gaelic, Clannad 2 is moody and deliberate, with flashes here and there of romantic yearning or sighing wistfulness. It's played entirely on acoustic instruments and features some great solos from flutist Pol Brennan, particularly on the instrumental "Fairly Shot of Her." Máire Brennan's expressive vocals are of course the album's centerpiece; she can express emotion with subtle changes of inflection or use the full power of the Gaelic language to link Clannad's music to Irish history. This she does to almost scary effect on the driving reel "Gabhar Bán." At the same time, Brennan teams with male harmony for the lilting "Rince Briotánach," which, with its jaunty feel, is the exact opposite of its darker cousin. Together with its counterpart "Dheanainn Súgradh," the latter track blends Ireland's own music with a medieval quality that's particularly striking. It's true that Clannad became known more for fusing roots with modernism than sticking to tradition. But the austere Clannad 2 followed the lead of groups like Planxty and Fairport Convention looking inward and backward for real inspiration. In the process, Clannad made one of its most memorable and powerful albums. Johnny Loftus