Mighty strange, but the
Best of Mary Black, Vol. 2
is extremely similar to the import version of the
Best of Mary Black, 1991-2000
. The second discs of each are, in fact, identical, and include an album that was never released called "Hidden Harvest."
Black
is Ireland's premier vocalist. She interprets the tradition in many different ways without ever losing it in the arrangements. Her take on
pop
songs is to render them through the eyes and ears of the great
Celtic folk
tradition as well. There are, as would be expected, many fine moments on this set, including her readings of
Dougie MacLean
's
"Turning Away,"
Thom Moore
"Still Believing,"
Phil Colclough
"Song for Ireland,"
and
Noel Brazil
"The Loving Time."
The second disc features some beautiful duet performances, including a duet with
Joan Baez
-- live, no less -- on
Bob Dylan
"Ring Them Bells,"
"Sonny"
with
Dolores Keane
Emmylou Harris
, and
"Bruach Na Carraige Baine,"
Seamus Begley
. Some other moments here on disc two are beautiful performances of
John Lennon
"Across the Universe"
(with
Noel Bridgeman
), the
traditional
"Ae Fond Kiss,"
Mick Hanly
"Without the Fanfare."
Purists will call this music "sellout," but then, they never got it anyway.
is a singer first, a singer of songs, and a terrific interpreter because of her unique manner of placing them in the context of the
folk
tradition. She is an Irish singer second, and whether it's
,
music,
jazz
or
rock
she takes on, the mark on the material is unmistakably her own. ~ Thom Jurek