Celtic Twilight, Vol 3

By turns mournful and mystical, these 14 Celtic lullabies performed by musicians from around the world give voice to the experience of mother and child in haunting, evocative folk songs. "More often than not," veteran Irish singer N³ir­n N­ Riain writes in the liner notes, "a true lullaby is more indicative of the mental state of the mother than of her wish to lull her child to sleep, and so often her frustrations find a legitimate voice through song." Celtic Twilight 3: Lullabies will become a bedtime favorite, both for its lulling pull to sleep for baby and the numinous, soothing tones of old-country songs for parents winding down at the end of the day. --Stefanie Durbin