If you are at all familiar with Solas, you will probably have read rave reviews praising their instrumental prowess, the beauty of their lead singer's voice, the innovation in their arranging, their ease and skill with the music and many other wonderful things. Well, this review will be no different. They deserve every good word written about them and probably a lot more.

The Words That Remain is a beautiful collection of songs and instrumental pieces drawn predominantly from traditional sources. Though several have been recorded numerous times throughout the past 40-odd years (a bit of a pet peeve of mine, people doing straight recordings of other people's music), I do not resent a single one of these pieces. Each has been reinvented and given new life. This is what traditional music should be: a new take on on old song, not "so-and-so's version from their last album faithfully reproduced so you can not tell one from the other."

"I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love" is quite jaunty and very very different from the almost dirge-like quality it had on the Pentangle version. "The Grey Selkie," which has been recorded constantly, does not sound old or tired. It retains the haunting quality a song of such sad and mystical proportions should have, with Karan Casey's lead vocals both emotional and pure, while the instrumentation is subtle, yet evocative.

The instrumental sets are amazing. So many groups seem to include them almost as an afterthought or space filler. Not so here. Half of the tracks are instrumental and each set is fantastically arranged, masterfully played and a joy to listen to. If you can sit still through them, you should probably have your reflexes tested. A highlight was hearing my favourite reel, which is usually played on pipes or fiddle, played on banjo, courtesy of Bela Fleck, who also contributes to "I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love." The slower paced "La Bruxa" is a nice shift, bringing to mind sipping coffee in some exotic locale, while "The Beauty Spot" is soft and melodic, almost a lullaby -- until it speeds up! It has been said before, but I'll say it again: fresh and innovative.

The nontraditional pieces are also wonderful. The politically laden "Pastures of Plenty" by Woodie Guthrie and "Song of Choice," a duet with Iris DeMent, by Peggy Seeger both deal with issues of human rights and social conscience and are both wonderfully performed. The two Irish language songs are heartbreakingly beautiful and translations are provided.

The five members who made up Solas at the time of this recording were Casey on vocals, who left shortly after this album to pursue a solo career, John Doyle on guitars, acoustic guitar effects and vocals, Seamus Egan on concert flute, banjo, low whistles, tin whistles, mandolin, nylon-string guitar, bodhran and percussion, Winifred Horan on fiddles and vocals, and Mick McAuley on accordion, concertina, low whistles and vocals. Each of them has a list of credentials a mile long outside of Solas, so it is no wonder the music is such high quality.

Solas is a phenomenal group, talented and refreshingly unique. Any lover of Celtic, folk or just great music will love this album. The Words That Remain is an absolute treasure.

- Rambles
written by Jean Emma Price
published 10 July 2004