Another Ride on the GREAT BIG SEA

Although I'm passionate about an eclectic mix of music, bands and artists, one of the groups I am most passionate about is Great Big Sea. GBS hails from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada and performs their own unique blend of rock, folk, and Celtic. They just released a new CD, "The Hard and the Easy" which is kind of a departure from their usual formula. The new CD is composed of traditional Newfie songs, done with GBS tuneful spin.

Because Newfoundland is a coastal community, many of its song have to do with sailing, boats and sealore. This theme is present on all GBS albums, but never moreso than on "The Hard and the Easy" with tracks like "The River Driver," "The Mermaid," "Captain Kidd," "Harbour Lecou," and "French Shore." Smaller bodies of water are also represented in "Concerning Charlie Horse" and "Tickle Cove Pond."

The first single from the new CD, "Captain Kidd" features Alan's usual smooth vocals and the band's signature pop-flavored Celtic arrangement. Sean McCann also handles lead vocals on several songs and his bodhran (a handheld Celtic drum) spices many of the songs. (Although I'm wild about all members of the band, past and present, Sean has always been my favorite.)

GBS also has their own tradition of including comedic songs on their albums and track 4, "The Mermaid" more than fits that description. It also explains the images on the CD's front and back.

I picked up my copy of "The Hard and the Easy" the day it came out in the U.S. Check out their website, listen to clips from the new CD and then do the same. I defy you to sit still through one of their rollicking, good-time CD's. Attending a GBS concert is an orgy of jumping , sing-alonging (is that a word?) F-U-N. I have never been more exhilarated (and ultimately, exhausted) than after a GBS show.

And I have my friend Missie to thank for all of this. She introduced me to the band, let me borrow a couple of their CD's and took me to my first GBS show at the Odean in Cleveland on St. Patrick's Day a few years ago. It was at this show I first met another Celtic band I'm devoted to: Carbon Leaf. But that's a blog for another day.

Check out Great Big Sea. Now. I mean it!