MARY ANN KENNEDY – An Dàn (Arc Music EUCD2737)

An Dàn Mary Ann Kennedy describes this album as Gaelic songs for a modern world. An Dàn means…well, dàn means song but it also means destiny, which may be Gaelic humour. Mary Ann is from Skye and is, of course a Campbell. She is well-known as a broadcaster and producer as well as singer and is an authority on Gaelic language and culture.

We are used to albums of Gaelic songs being firmly traditional but An Dàn is rather different. Mary Ann has written all the music and some of the lyrics, the rest coming from various poets and writers. Mary Ann’s family album, Fonn, recorded as The Campbells was all traditional but sounded remarkably modern. By contrast, An Dàn is modern but sounds, not traditional, but a little old-fashioned. The songs are underpinned by Mary Ann’s piano and features four string players and what is virtually a choir of backing singers which makes some of it a bit sweet for my taste.

The album is often very beautiful. Mary Ann’s voice is exquisite and Finlay Wells’ guitars add so much – just listen to that sublime lead on ‘Grioglachan’ – but it is the digressions that create the most interest. ‘Òran do dh’Iain Dòmhnallach’, for example, features old field recordings of Tswana singers. It all makes perfect sense in context but it also makes you pay attention. ‘Taigh An Uillt’ features some almost jazzy guitar with Nick Turner’s bass and an uncredited drummer and is, for me, the most beguiling track.

‘Dàn Ùr do Fhlòraidh NicNìll’ begins with a marvellous cacophony and Jarlath Henderson features here on Uilleann pipes but doesn’t get many opportunities to cut loose. For the Gaelic speaker this is undoubtedly a fascinating blend of old and new but for a Sassenach like me it won’t feature among my favourite Gaelic albums.

Dai Jeffries

Artist’s website: http://www.maryannkennedy.co.uk/

‘Mother Glasgow’ isn’t on the album but you can see why we have chosen it: