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The Gloaming: The Gloaming

Music Reviews
The Gloaming: The Gloaming

In the history of modern pop music, there have been many fusions and combinations of music genres. There’s obviously jazz-fusion, as well as classical crossover, blues-rock, dance-punk, electronic rock, folk punk, etc. These blends have been happening since the 1950s-1960s and have become even more common in today’s independent music boom. This mixture of different genres is what makes a band like The Gloaming and their most recent self-titled album so appealing. A synthesis of traditional Irish music and post-rock, The Gloaming’s second album is a tour de force of this unique and fascinating combination. Although the lyrics are entirely in Gaelic, their melodic content translates into a language universally understood.

While the music is all around outstanding, particular mention should be made to the fiddle section, consisting of Martin Hayes and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. Their work on standout track “Fáinleog” is particularly remarkable. Although the band hasn’t had much United States based press coverage yet, The Gloaming continues to defy expectations. This album debuted in the top 10 records on the American world music chart. Also, fans of the recent film Brooklyn with Saoirse Ronan may recognize the vocals of lead singer Iarla O’Lionaird, who had a noticeable vocal cameo in the movie. Despite the lack of attention given to the band via the media, these musicians definitely get an A grade for effort, and their determination shows in their music as well.

The tracks on The Gloaming seem to reflect a sense of pride and patriotism exhibited by the band. This nationalistic tactic is not only existent in the style of music and the language, but in the song titles as well. “The Pilgrim’s Song” and “Repeal Of The Union,” the latter of which is an established indigenous Gaelic tune, both convey the pride that the act has for their home nation, without being egotistic. This is an act that truly wants to share the sound of their homeland with the world, while keeping a modern approach to performing. It is perhaps noteworthy that the act is signed to Brassland Records, the label that was started by the Dessner brothers of The National.

Despite the overall accessibility of the album to old school fans of traditional folk music, this album may not be entirely appealing to those outside the world of Ireland. A small percentage of individuals may find The Gloaming’s music obscure due to the lack of English lyrics. However, if you’re a fan of this type of work and are into discovering art from different places in the world, you should definitely join the party.

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