Library Mama

Silver Sea by Meav I got lucky pulling random CDs out of the Irish music bin at the library. This was a solid album of traditional and modern songs. Meav has a light and flexible, if occasionally breathy voice. She opens with what sounded like the song of a mermaid living with her lover on land, and continued on with a surprisingly upbeat version of “Wicked Sister”, the murder of the beautiful younger sister accompanied by sparkling harp. There’s a lovely version of “Maid in Bedlam”, as well as some Gaelic songs that I recognized but didn’t know by name. (Yes, I listen in the car, so no looking up titles.) She’s a new artist to me, but if you like Celtic or folk music, I highly recommend her.

Because Mr. Froggie Pants asks constantly for “Ri’dance” music, but any Celtic music will do…

Their Greatest Hits by the Dubliners The Dubliners (in case you didn’t know) are one of groups that kicked off the revival of Irish and Celtic traditional music, way back when. (I’m too lazy to look it up in Wikipedia just now, but probably the sixties). This CD is a lovely mix of dance tunes and ballads, fast ‘n’ bawdy songs and moving labor songs. And all the songs are sung in a delightfully growly Irish voice. Maybe not for you if you prefer wispy modern stuff like Enya trad rock like Deep Blue Sea. But for straight-up traditional music, it’s fantastic.

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay Another top-reviewed new SF book. Our hero, 15-year-old Ned Marriner, is accompanying his father on a business expedition to photograph Provence, while his mother is working for Doctors without Borders in a dangerous warzone. Ned starts off pretty darn teen petty, but snaps out of it as he and geeky but cute history buff Kate Wenger run into a man with a knife in the cathedral baptistery. He tells them not to get involved, but even without wanting to, they are drawn into an ancient love triangle that mirrors the battle between Roman and Celt for the land. It gets off to a slowish start, but picks up pace rapidly as Ned and Kate try to solve the mystery before someone is permanently out of the picture. It’s got a nice myth under modern reality feel, and the history puzzles and mystery aspect will appeal to fans of The DaVinci Code, albeit with less breathless action and much better writing.