In Spite of the Storm

quot;In Spite of the Stormquot; New album out now in North America quot;Another typically thoughtful and thought-provoking excursion from a band still hungry for tunes - and, belatedly, for songs. The intimacy of Séamus Begley's voice and his freewheeling tunes knit new patterns into Téada's mix.quot; - Siobhan Long, Irish Times quot;One of the outstanding releases in recent memory.quot; - Daniel Neely, Irish Echo Sligo, Ireland (3 February 2014) quot;Ainneoin na stoirmequot; (In spite of the storm), the fifth album from one of Irish traditional music's leading young groups Téada (TAY-da), is out now in North America on the Gael Linn label. The album was released in Ireland in September as part of the prestigious Irish label's 60th anniversary celebrations. It is available at teada.com. Featuring a mix of rare older tunes juxtaposed with a range of more recent compositions, In Spite of the Storm provides a fascinating collaboration of generations, influences, and interpretations. The album marks a major departure for Téada with the addition of vocals from renowned singer Séamus Begley, 2013's Traditional Singer of the Year (Irish TV TG4) and member of a famous musical family in Co. Kerry. Begley's legendary vocals bring a wealth of reflective moments, including the late Marty Robbin's song quot;Saddle Tramp,quot; alongside bracing instrumental selections which see Téada at their best. Founded by Sligo fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada in 2001, Téada's five young instrumentalists are driven by the timeless, expressive force of music inherited from previous generations of musicians. Irish Music Magazine describes them quot;at the cutting edge of the next generation of Irish musicians...with a fierce familiarity with the old ways.quot; quot;Ireland has been greatly transformed since the fever of materialism...readjustments have been...deeply felt. But as our late Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney said: 'We are not simply a credit rating or an economy but a history and a culture.' Our music, songs, language and culture have deep roots; they will withstand any storm.quot; - Téada, from the liner notes Inlay Notes 1. Reels: Dinny O'Brien's (comp. Paddy O'Brien) / The Sweetheart Reel / Paddy Kenny's (03:56) Prolific Tipperary composer and accordionist, Paddy O'Brien, composed the first tune in memory of his father. The second reel features in Petrie's Complete Irish Music under the title 'Temple Hill. A Cork Reel', but without the 3rd part with which it is typically played today. The final tune was sourced from fiddler Paddy Ryan during a Scoil Éigse workshop in Sligo in 1990, with Paddy himself learning the tune from Ballinameen, Co. Roscommon fiddler, Paddy Kenny. 2. Song: An Spailpín Fánach (02:52) A popular song emanating from 18th-century Ireland, which Séamus learned while at school from influential teacher Caoimhín Ó Cinnéide. The melody is similar to that found in 'The Girl I Left Behind M'quot;, a popular folk song and military march in the United States. The term 'spailpín' refers to a labourer hired for a job of temporary duration, such as potato digging. 3. Slides: Deálaí's No. 1 & 2 / The Peeler and the Goat (02:45) Séamus sourced the first two tunes from Dún Chaoin accordion-player, Muiris Ó Dálaigh (Deálaí). The closing tune is a slide version of a popular 19th century song, the melody of which was published in O'Neill's quot;Music of Irelandquot; (1903). 4. Reels: The Reel with the Birl / Carraigín Ruadh (comp. Brendan Tonra) / Ryan's Rant (03:14) The selection begins with a version of Drowsy Maggie assoc