Lake of Shadows

1	Lake of Shadows 5:55
2	Sunlight on the Water 4:23
3	Farewell to Inishowen 3:15
4	The Flight of the Earls 5:48
5	The Star of the Sea 5:08
6	The Lough Swilly Railway 3:43
7	For Those in Peril on the Sea 4:25
8	The Lonesome Boatman 4:34
9	The Year of the French 3:28
10	The Shores of the Swilly / Sinéad O'Connor 4:12
11	Back to the Island 4:12
12	Vive la Hoche 4:04
13	Prayer for the Fisherman / Roma Downey 4:36
14	Take Me Home 4:30

Barnes & Noble

Pianist/composer Phil Coulter's Lake of Shadows is above all a memorial to a place. Lough Swilly in County Donegal, Ireland -- known locally as the Lake of Shadows -- is a site of tragic significance, both to Coulter personally and in Irish history. (He lost a brother and a sister to the waters, and a number of important events in Ireland's troubled past took place there.) True to form, the album is a collection of Celtic-inspired, new age-style pieces arranged in Coulter's signature lush and fluid manner. As in Highland Cathedral and other albums, he brings together an array of traditional Celtic instruments, modern electronics, strings, and evocative vocals -- all supporting Coulter's graceful touch at the piano. But what sets this album apart is the participation of a few of Coulter's famous friends: Liam Neeson, Roma Downey, and Sinéad O'Connor. Neeson provides a sober voice-over in his native brogue on "The Flight of the Earls," one of the historical events eulogized here. Downey narrates the traditional "Prayer for the Fisherman," assisted by the indigenous sounds of the Coolea Choir, and the melancholy "Shores of the Swilly" features O'Connor singing a poignant homage to Coulter's lost sister. Coulter has solo moments, too ("Farewell to Inishowen," "The Year of the French"); his atmospheric orchestrations shine through on several tracks ("Sunlight on the Water," "For Those in Peril on the Sea"); and frequent collaborator Aoife supplies her sweetly lyrical voice on a pair of songs ("Lake of Shadows," "The Star of the Sea"). But the final track, "Take Me Home," brings the whole cast together for an inspirational concluding anthem, a fitting end to this touching album of musical tributes. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

Phil Coulter may have made his name way back when as a writer of pop hits, but since then he's practiced his craft on a broader musical canvas. Here the art becomes more intimate, dealing as it does with a most specific place in Ireland, Lough Swilly, and its associations, both warm and tragic, with his own history. In the '80s, the lake claimed the lives of both his brother and sister, but he remains drawn to it, and its pristine memories of his childhood vacations. The musical result isn't a million miles from the neo-classical Celticisms of Peadar O'Riada -- who helps out here -- but also tinged with sorrow, as on "The Shores of the Swilly," beautifully and sparely sung by Sinead O'Connor, which is the tale of Cyd Coulter's death. There's history in actor Liam Neeson's spoken-word piece, "The Flight of the Earls," and the mournful simplicity of the hymn "For Those in Peril on the Sea." There's also plenty of orchestral sweep to the melodies, evoking the water, which brings some of the album perilously close to new age music. Always, though, Coulter knows when to back off and not let things go too far. Even "Prayer for the Fishermen," with Roma Downey's invocation, never reaches overkill. In essence, this album is a catharsis of spirit and a memorial, and Coulter's touch ensures that it succeeds as both. Chris Nickson