With
Rockall
,
the House Band
stays within the Celtic tradition and with acoustic instruments, while maintaining a fresh and lively sound. All four group members are multi-intrumentalists, more dedicated to blending and interweaving than soloing. In particular,
Roger Wilson
uses fiddle and viola as a sympathetic background drone more than as a solo instrument. And
Ged Foley
's vocals have a matter-of-fact delivery that lets the storytelling tunes alternate effectively with the instrumental tracks.
The group pushes the envelope a little by including
Tom Waits'
"Shiver Me Timbers,"
but their delivery makes it sound like a Celtic ballad, a touch that is a good sign for the continuation of the genre. ~ David Howell