Tears of Stone

1	Never Give All the Heart / Anúna 2:50
2	A Stór Mo Chroí / Bonnie Raitt 3:46
3	The Lowlands of Holland / Natalie Merchant 3:46
4	The Magdalene Laundries / Joni Mitchell 4:59
5	Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór / The Rankin Family 4:37
6	I Know My Love / The Corrs 3:54
7	Factory Girl / Sinéad O'Connor 4:23
8	Deserted Soldier / Mary Chapin Carpenter 4:39
9	Ye Rambling Boys of Pleasure / Loreena McKennitt 4:33
10	Sake In The Jar / Akiko Yano 4:28
11	Raglan Road / Joan Osborne 6:19
12	Siúil a Rún / Sissel Kyrkjebø 4:35
13	The Fiddling Ladies / Eileen Ivers 10:23
14	Danny Boy / Diana Krall 5:28

Barnes & Noble

The latest effort by the most important Irish band of the last 20 years shows that even after 30-odd albums, Paddy Moloney still has plenty of juice to spare. The chief Chieftain continues his predilection for guest stars on this "women's album," featuring vocalists from all over the world interpreting some Irish classics. Some of the singers are renewing associations with the band: Sissel, the Norwegian siren of TITANIC soundtrack fame also joined the band on the Grammy-winning THE LONG JOURNEY HOME, as did Sinéad O'Connor. Other pairings are unique: Joan Osborne's Kentucky roots reach out to "Raglan Road"; Canada's Loreena McKennitt and Joni Mitchell take inspired turns in front of this most adventurous traditional outfit. The resultant blend of pop smarts and timeless Irish song craft is irresistible. No wonder TEARS OF STONE became the venerable Chieftains' first No. 1 album in their homeland. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

This album is a follow-up to the 1995 album The Long Black Veil. The idea is the same: the Chieftains play house band for many guest vocalists and musicians. The difference this time around is that all the musicians and vocalists featured are women. Sinéad O'Connor is the one return performance, and she justifies that honor with her sorrowful and beautiful rendition of the traditional song "Factory Girl." The roster of guests is diverse, and it is a credit to the musical ability of the Chieftains to keep a common thread going and blend their arrangements with all the different voices. Bonnie Raitt sounds just as much an Irish folk singer on her track "A Stor Mo Chrio" as Loreena McKennitt does on her version of "Ye Rambling Boys of Pleasure." The trick is that Paddy Maloney's arrangements highlight the unique talents of each guest. Most of the songs are traditional Irish tunes with new arrangements, the exceptions being the haunting "The Magdalene Laundries" written and sung by Joni Mitchell and strange but somehow fitting "Sake in the Jar" written and sung by Akiko Yano. The song features Japanese percussion instruments and should stick out among the distinctly Celtic contributions here, but it blends right in. Paddy Maloney states in the liner notes that the point of the project was to "marry the many-faceted voices of contemporary women artists from around the world with the simple beauty of traditional Irish music." It is a job well done. Susan Cruickshank