This is the second Celtus album from the incredible McManus Brothers. The opening track Two Worlds, is an up-tempo, love song then leads into Wide Awake, a track telling of a stifled person in love with someone else. Touch You tells of love gone stale. Harmonies and stunning whistle playing from John and fiddle from Pat give us this truly beautiful song. Science of Love changes the mood, into another up-tempo number. Believe and Waiting for The Rain does not disappoint giving us images of the lyrics conveyed. The Awakening is an instrumental no one could possibly fail to be moved by. Whistle playing from John at his best as always. The effervescent Bubble whisks us away into a dream world “chasing Rainbows”. The title track Portrait gives us an idea of life in Northern Ireland at the times of the troubles. An extremely powerful self-penned song from the McManus Brothers. We end this album on the atmospheric, enigmatic Cathedral. A protest against the abuse of children by priests in Ireland. Truly dark, sullen and a force to end with. A somewhat different album from Celtus, but no less inspiring than their first album Moonchild.
Original Posting date – 2nd November 2001
Reviewers Name – Jean Camp
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