La Nua [CD]

The new album, Nua (Irish for New Day), is the first on Lúnasa Records, their newly launched imprint, and it is one of the most enjoyable and accomplished recordings from Lúnasa to date and easily the finest instrumental recording I've heard so far this year. There is not one weak or wobbly track on Nua. In effect, it's an album of highlights, including Crawford's tender flute playing on Tune for Dad, commemorating the recent passing of his father; East Village Days/Timmy's Place/Doc Holliday's, a medley of Valley tunes; Ciara's Dance/Burning Snowball/Road to Reel ; and Inverness County Reel/The Beauty Spot/The Shore House Reel. It's a new label and new day for L-únasa, whose capacity to keep surprising US helps to make their sound unreplicable. Nua is Lunasa in peak form. -Earle Hitchner, Irish Echo.