• Artist: Ashley MacIsaac
• Flags: Enhanced CD-ROM
• Rating:
• Styles: Contemporary Celtic, Celtic Fusion
• Similar Albums: Holiday Man, Are You My Friend?, Melting Pot, Cocoon Crash, Judas Steer, The Bottle & Fresh Horses, Against the Stars, Tellin' Stories, Third Eye Blind, Wacko Magneto, Live Stages

Review

Collective eyebrows were raised with the release of 1995's Hi How Are You Today? and its subsequent tour. And in the wake of that album, fans and critics alike awaited the 1998 arrival of the follow-up Fine Thank You Very Much with eager anticipation and wariness, respectively. Although it clearly states "a traditional album" on the cover, suspicions weren't fully quelled until an actual listen took place. After all, MacIsaac could be pulling a fast one. Well, he did and he didn't. Yes, this is a traditional recording that few expected, and no, he didn't engage in false advertising, despite some who felt duped by his change of direction from traditional fiddler on his debut, Close to the Floor, to alternative rocker on Fine Thank You Very Much. This album begins with the three-minute slow air "The Rosebud of Allenville," but after that, MacIsaac shows no signs of slowing down. It's midtempo to uptempo jigs, reels, hornpipes, and strathspeys for the remaining 50-plus minutes. With the exception of John Allan Cameron's aggressive acoustic guitar on "Athole Cummers," this record is all MacIsaac. In addition to his exemplary fiddle playing, he accompanies himself on piano in the unique and oft-alluded-to Cape Breton style. For those expecting more thumbing of the nose by MacIsaac, it should be noted that his eccentricities wouldn't have received nearly the attention they did if he hadn't first established himself as an excellent fiddle player. [The 2004 Special Edition reissue features alternate album art and the enhanced CD video "The Devil in the Kitchen."] ~ Dave Sleger, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
The Rosebud of Allenvale/The Miller of Drone/Dusky Meadow/Neil R. MacDonald	...	J. Scott Skinner, Jerry Holland, John Pringle, Dan R. MacDonald	Ashley MacIsaac	(8:01)
The Braes of Elchies /Miss Anderson /The New Yorr /Rothiemurchus Rant/Cullo	...	Charles Grant	Ashley MacIsaac	(5:40)
The Moonlight Clog/Hennessey's Hornpipe Hornpipe/Gin I Had a Bonnie Lass	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(3:41)
Traditional Strathspey/New Bedford Reel/Pretty Peggy	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(2:05)
Wilfred's Fiddle/The Harbourview [Jig]	...	Dan R. MacDonald, John Campbell	Ashley MacIsaac	(2:05)
Athole Cummers/Flora MacDonald/Prince Charlie [Reel]	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(3:03)
Lord Rothes Strathspey/Traditional Strathspey/The Braes of Tullymet/Tul	...	Robert Petrie	Ashley MacIsaac	(10:29)
King George IV/King George V/The Old King's Reel/The King's Reel/Tradit	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(3:16)
Tam Bain's Lum/The Ladie's Hornpipe	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(2:54)
Space Available/Buddy MacMaster/The Joys of Mabou Mines/The '38 Ford/Pa	...	Donald Angus Beaton	Ashley MacIsaac	(5:41)
Traditional Jig/Traditional Reel	...	John Campbell	Ashley MacIsaac	(1:51)
Allowa Kirk/Traditional Strathspey/Princess Royal/Douglas Favourite [Re	...		Ashley MacIsaac	(4:18)
Jerry's Beaver Hat/Catherine MacIssac Wedding Day/Long Point [Jig]	...	Dan R. MacDonald	Ashley MacIsaac	(6:03)
The Devil in the Kitchen [CD-ROM Track][*]	...		Ashley MacIsaac

Credits

Mark Peters (Engineer), John Allan Cameron (Guitar), John Allan Cameron (Guest Appearance), Ashley MacIsaac (Fiddle), Ashley MacIsaac (Piano), George Graves (Mastering), Derek Shapton (Photography), David Andoff (Art Direction), Antoine Moonen (Design)