| The Hour Before Dawn | 
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| List Price: $17.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 15 reviews)
Sales Rank: 48029
Category: Music
Artist: Solas
Publisher: Shanachie
Studio: Shanachie
Manufacturer: Shanachie
Label: Shanachie
Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 78041
UPC: 016351784124
EAN: 0016351784124
ASIN: B00004Y9VH
Release Date: October 10, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Bheadh Buachaillin Deas Ag Sile | | • | Granny Quinn's/The Lilac Reel/Sporting Pat Reels | | • | Last Great Whales | | • | Little Child | | • | Miner's Life | | • | What's Up with Win/Sonny Brogan's/Cahal's Jig [Jigs] | | • | When My Love and I Parted | | • | Homeless | | • | Boy/Girl Tune | | • | Bruach Na Carraige Baine | | • | Bonnie Mae | | • | 70 The New Custom House/The Flavor of the Month/The Tinkers Daughter | | • | I Will Remember You |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Solas have become one of the world's most exciting Celtic bands by combining a respect for tradition with an adventurous musical spirit. On their fourth CD, The Hour Before Dawn, they gently stretch the boundaries of Irish music by adding new instrumental textures and more sophisticated harmonies. Led by Seamus Egan's flute and banjo, the band whips through the sets of dance tunes with authority and style. John Doyle continues to expand the vocabulary of Irish rhythm guitar while laying down a solid beat that lets the melodies of fiddler Winifred Horan and accordionist Mick McAuley soar. But as good as the instrumentals are, the songs with vocals are where Solas truly shine. The band's new lead singer, Dierdre Scanlan, has replaced Karan Casey, who left to pursue a solo career. Scanlan is equally adept on ancient ballads like "When My Love and I Parted," where she is accompanied only by Horan's violin, and contemporary songs like "I Will Remember You," which Egan cowrote with Sarah McLachlan. She has an earthy voice that reminds us that despite the band's instrumental prowess, the roots of Irish music are in song. --Michael Simmons
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 A nice sampling of the many moods of Solas December 31, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
From rousing sets of traditional dances to wistful laments and jazzed-up folk songs, Solas offers pleasant listening all around on this album. There is a light, gentle, intimate quality to their presentation and choice of material, not to mention a subtle intricacy in their arrangements. Traditional Celtic motifs are deftly interwoven with elements of folk, jazz, rock and pop, resulting in delightful little musical twists all throughout the album that are unexpected but somehow seem utterly right. Solas features Winifred Horan on fiddle, Seamus Egan on a plethora of instruments including flutes and guitars, Mick McAuley on accordion, guitarist John Doyle, and the clear, clean, honest lead vocals of Dierdre Scanlan. My favorite track on "The Hour Before Dawn" is the extremely haunting and poignant "Homeless", but the exotic "Boy/Girl Tune" is quite cool too, "A Miner's Life" is well-put and the traditional dance sets on tracks 2 and 6 are lively and fun. The spare, intriguing harmonies on "When My Love and I Parted" and "A Little Child" deserve mention too--not what I'd expected to find on a Celtic album, but very nice all the same and good example of how well this group combines diverse musical elements with seamless elegance. To experience an edgier, more intense side of this band, try their subsequent release, "The Edge of Silence". If you enjoy the musical stylings of Solas, you may also like the American folk group Trapezoid, in such albums as "Moon Run" and "Remembered Ways", or the work of fellow Celtic artists Silly Wizard, embodying the style of a decade or so earlier but with a similarly gentle sense of grace and soulfulness.
 Very good musicians, but this leaves me cold January 17, 2003
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Let me preface this by saying I am a big fan of traditional Irish music, and a huge fan of Dervish, Trian, Liz Carroll, Bothy Band, Kevin Burke, Andy Irvine, etc. This is the first Solas CD I have bought, and will probably be the last. Although generally very competently played, the music just doesn't speak to me. I agree with the some of the other reviews to that effect that this Solas recording is too highly orchestrated, and not very traditional (though I don't mind that, per se). In my opinion "Last of the Great Whales" has some of the lamest and simple-minded lyrics I've ever heard. Though she has a very pleasing voice, Ms. Scanlon's rendition of it just fails to move me whatsoever (lacking in musicality, I believe one reviewer said). In my book her renditions just don't compare to Mary Black, Susan McKeown, or Karan Casey, though they are pleasant enough. The fiddle playing on "A Little Child" reminds me more of a classical violinist playing Irish music....very good tone, but too much vibrato, and too orchestrated with multiple violin tracks sounding like the London Philharmonic (e.g. When My Love & I Parted). On the positive side, there is some excellent guitar, flute, and button accordian playing on here (e.g. Cahil's Jig). It's as if the band is trying too hard to distance themselves from the many other traditional Irish groups, with the result that the arrangements are overly complex, and the material just isn't that interesting.
Full of the spirit of Ireland December 6, 2002
Ranging from lively jigs and reels ("Granny Quinn's/The Lilac Reel") to the dreamy ("A Little Child") to the plaintive ("Last of the Great Whales"), with crystal-clear vocals and particularly good accompaniment, this group of five (three men, two women) is another I had never heard before buying the CD under consideration, so I can't compare it to their earlier outings, as others have done. But I don't need to hear them to know I'd like to. Though not (yet) my favorite Irish group, this one will definitely join my permanent collection.
Competent but Dull March 8, 2002
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
A lot of people rave about this group and I tried real hard to like this by giving it repeated listenings but, I'm sorry, it just doesn't grow on me. A couple of the other reviewers of Solas' works have hit the nail on the head. This is a group of very competent musicians who perform flawless, note-for-note perfect renditions of traditional Irish songs with a few originals thrown in for good measure. They have a female singer with a beautiful voice perfectly suited to this type of music. So what's the problem? It's all a bit bland and boring. The performances are very smooth and polished, the production is cotton-candy-soft, and the musicians sound like they are sleepwalking; there is a total lack of energy, intensity, and passion in their playing. The musicians themselves sound like they're bored and just going through the motions, so why should the listener get excited? And it's all so nondistinctive; I've heard this all before. You can turn on National Public Radio on any Sunday afternoon and here numerous other groups that sound just like this. I much prefer groups who put their own stamp on songs and do something at least a little bit different with them. Even their softness and fluffiness aren't distinctive. I would only recommend this if you are looking for music to soothe you and relax you after a stressful day at work; this it will surely do.
 Solas out do themselves this time May 23, 2001
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
If this is your first time listening to Solas or if like me, you are a seasoned listener, you will love this album. Since 1996, Solas have been maturing as a band with each album and this is the culmination of both their tiredless efforts towards perfection and their coming of age. The firepower has not died but has become more and more intricate and complex. John Doyle continues to be a major driving force behind the music with his note perfect rhythms and unique style of playing. He is without doubt possibly the best traditional guitarist the world of trad music has ever seen. He lifts every tune to amazing peaks without once crossing the boundary into being over bearing. Along with the firepower, you also have the delicate touch only Solas can add to the haunting slow airs and traditional songs. Where can Solas go from here? It really is hard to say but they certainly will remain in the annals of history long after their time for being the fore runners in merging the new with the old traditional styles without ever once losing respect for the core of the Tradition of the music. Bravo!! if this is the hour before dawn for solas, I can't wait to see what the dawn itself will be like!!
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