Heritage

St. Patrick’s Day may be a week away, but it’s time to get our Irish on. The other day, I got Celtic Thunder’s latest CD/DVD—Heritage!

To be fair, you may recall that “Heritage” was the first part of the Celtic Thunder show I saw in October. I couldn’t really give it a proper review as I barely knew all the songs in the show. Also, there are a few songs that aren’t on the show but on the CD that I’ll cover as well.

Like I said in my first review, the show starts with “Heartland.” Due to Damian’s voice change, things have been shifted from when this opened the first show. Keith still sings the opening verse but now Ryan has taken over the second verse. On the DVD, you can see George looking like he wants to start singing the second verse like he used to. It is nice, though, to hear more of Ryan in the song as originally he only sang the prelude—and that’s been cut before.

And now on to the solo performances!

Damian starts us off with “Buachaill on Eirne” (Come by the Hills). He sang this on the very first album, but mostly in English back then. This time around, his voice is deeper and he sings it entirely in Irish. The song is always a sweet melody and the Irish lyrics add a new enchanting quality to the song. And that isn’t lost with his lower register, though the original had this sweet child’s innocence aspect about it.

Also, does anyone else have a copy of the DVD with Damian’s name spelled “Damien”?

We’ll move on to Keith. His solo number this outing is “The Dutchman,” which allows him to play his guitar. It’s a lovely little folk song about an aging man and the woman who is his caretaker. It’s a beautiful song and Keith’s voice is perfect for the tune.

With “Heritage,” we welcome back the Dark Destroyer! Ryan rocks out to “Black is The Color,” which you probably had to read during English class at some point. Ryan relishes this role and he is a rock star during it. He performs with the violinist, Nicole Hudson, as she has the appropriate color hair and has fun flirting with her. He’s got great sex appeal during this number and it’s fun to sing along to.

George actually has two solos in this concert. His first is “Working Man,” which I understand was on the Take Me Home DVD originally. It’s rather upbeat, though it’s about the hard life of working in mines. George sings it with such a great honesty. There’s also a great moment at the end when the other lads come out to sing the last chorus with him. The other solo piece of his is “Skye Boat Song.” I looked up the song. It’s about the exile of Prince Charles, from the House of Stuart and heir to the throne as a Jacobite. It’s traditionally Scottish, which makes it perfect for George. It’s also a great song to sing along with. In fact, I have it stuck in my head right now.

“Skye Boat Song” though is not on the CD. Instead, George sings another absolutely sing along song called “Red Rose Café.” I would rather have the former on a CD. Hear that Phil? After “Storm,” a nice CD with George singing “Skye Boat Song.”

Neil gets his own solo again. This time he sings a Phil Coulter original composition entitled “Noreen.” It’s a sad, soulful ballad that Neil’s voice is perfect for. It’s more bittersweet when you watch some of the interviews on YouTube and learn the song was originally called “Natasha”—as in Natasha Richardson. It’s about a man having to leave his beloved behind and how much he misses her. It’s a gorgeous song and Neil puts great emotion behind it.

And the last solo goes to Paul! No really. He has the very last solo in the show. And he has the Robert Burn poem “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.” I’ve heard another melody for this song, a more upbeat one that I prefer. However, to hear Paul’s tenor sing it just adds the old, romantic quality to the song. I’m sure your heart will melt when you hear it.

But that’s not all you get to hear Paul’s tenor voice on. And if you’re already going through Paul withdrawals, that’s good news!

There are three duets on this DVD and if you’re counting, that means each lad sings one duet. And the first goes to Paul and Damian, singing “Just a Song at Twilight.” This is sweet to watch if you’ve ever read either lad’s blog. The two had a very brotherly relationship and it shows in the looks they exchange during the performance. The song is a popular parlor song in Ireland. Paul’s tenor and Damian’s baritone mix nicely in this number and you feel like you are in an Irish parlor, winding down at the end of the day.

The next duet belongs to George and Ryan. It is an original piece written by Phil Coulter entitled “Gold and Silver Days.” It’s a nostalgic song that harkens back to many of George’s songs from the first show, like “The Old Man.” His and Ryan’s voices blend sweetly together.

If the last duet doesn’t have you clapping along (or dancing), then check your pulse! It’s Keith and Neil singing “Whiskey in the Jar.” It also gives both a chance to rock out on their guitars, which is electrifying to see. Both lads seem to be having fun while performing it. “Whiskey in the Jar” tells of the singer robbing another criminal and bringing it home to his lady. Then the other criminal comes back and fights the narrator for his money. It allows for some play between Neil and Keith, which is great. And could the outfit Keith wears for that number be his outfit in every show?

Please?

And lastly, we have the group numbers. After “Heartland,” the next time the lads are gathered around is “Home from the Sea.” All six members are featured on this—and Neil even gets to keep his guitar. It tells of a seaside town as they watch the rescue for a boat trapped in stormy seas. Each lad gets a solo part to show off their voices and they blend together magnificently. There is also great play between the lads, especially between Keith and Damian. Theirs is a sibling-like play, which reads right as I am Keith’s age and Damian’s is my sister’s. The lads bring back “Steal Away,” which features George on the guitar. While it’s a lovely number, I must say that I still prefer the original a cappella version.

“Ireland’s Call” does appear in “Heritage,” though it isn’t the ending number or encore. And the editing is a bit wonky as it goes from Paul in his concert outfit singing “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose” to the lads in their kilts singing this. By this point, there isn’t much more to say about Ireland’s Call that hasn’t been mentioned in a review before. The only difference is Damian. In “It’s Entertainment,” the song was adjusted to accommodate his newer, deeper voice. However, “Ireland’s Call” in “Heritage” brings back the original settings—including Damian’s higher register. I note there have been some who have commented that this is proof that the lads lip-sync during their concerts, but I do not believe that to be true. There was a boy in my sister’s choir who could go from a low register straight up into soprano, so it is possible that Damian can still sing in his original register. He may just be more comfortable singing in his new one and even I must prefer the baritone. Even if it still looks funny to see that voice come out of him.

The finale is a toe-tapper. It’s “A Place in the Choir” and a barrel of fun. Like “Home from the Sea,” all the lads have fun singing this and playing around on stage. Once again, there is brotherly teasing between Keith and Damian when Keith sings his part. And the lads all play along when George sings about ducks—they follow an imaginary family of ducks! And then our lads get to show off some dancing moves. You can tell they are still getting used to the choreography and some show a little hesitancy, but it’s a good laugh. Damian gets to show his deep voice off in his solo before some good clapping musical fun.

For those who have seen the PBS airing, they rearrange the songs from the DVD. Here’s their lineup:

"Heartland" (short version)
"The Dutchman"
"Black is the Color"
"My Love is Like A Red, Red Rose"
"Steal Away"

Break

"Working Man"
"Buachail on Eirne"
"Belfast Polka"
"Skye Boat Song"
"Ireland's Call"

Break

"Home from the Sea"
"Noreen"
"Whiskey in the Jar"
"Just a Song at Twilight"
"A Place in the Choir"

At this point, I am going to turn to the CD as there are two songs (besides the aforementioned “Red Rose Café”) that are not on the DVD. And that’s because these deal with the new member of Celtic Thunder, Emmett Cahill. Emmett joins the other five lads (George, Neil, Ryan, Keith and Damian) for a song called “The Galway Girl.” It’s an upbeat ditty from Phil Coulter about being fleeced by a beautiful girl. This is easily one of my favorite songs on the CD. I’m still learning to detect Emmett’s voice in the group numbers, which is a bit funny since I can detect everyone else—he should be the unfamiliar one. Emmett also has his own solo with “Kindred Spirits.” It’s a lovely song about grandparents and their lasting love for each other and their family. Emmett has a lovely voice and while not the same as Paul’s, he can fill the broad, romantic song types Paul usually sings.

So, is “Heritage” good? Yes. If you missed the feel of the first two CDs, The Show and Act Two, you’ll love “Heritage.” If you love Celtic Thunder, you’ll love “Heritage.” If you love traditional songs, Celtic songs—pick up “Heritage.” You may find yourself picking up the rest of the Celtic Thunder CDs.