Albums of Celtic music are seemingly a dime a dozen, with similar songs, similar voices, and a propensity to either work toward the mystical female voice or the male drinking song. This album is of the latter camp, with what would appear to be a house band from a bar, to boot. What sets it apart somewhat is the surprising quality of the music. The
House Devils
can carry a soft ballad with just the right intonation to impart a nautical sense, perhaps even more than they can rollick (though they can certainly do that as well). The instrumentalists specialize in creating textural elements that the vocals can float over, rather than simply stomping out reels and jigs relentlessly. At times, the sound can even verge on Western (as in
"The State of Arkansas"
' opening thumps). There's plenty of Irish music available, much of it from larger names in the field than
the House Devils
, but it's a fine little romp nonetheless. ~ Adam Greenberg