Tree

Right now, it seems there's nothing cooler than being Irish--just look at the Celtic music craze that has swept the United States and Europe, the success of Michael Flatley's dance extravaganzas, or the simple fact that Ireland's economy is booming. In terms of Celtic music, recent waves of artists cashing in on the trend have begun diluting the flavor and feeling behind the music. But groups like Gaelic Storm are keeping their heritage alive, blending their musical roots with modern elements in a spirited fashion.

While the mixture of traditional numbers with originals on Gaelic Storm's Tree is nothing groundbreaking, the group attacks its material with vigor and passion. The exuberant quintet fuses pop sensibilities and incorporates nontraditional instruments (didgeridoo, African hand percussion, and bouzouki) within their gentle ballads and lively jigs and reels. It's a combination that works. Titanic director James Cameron thought so--Gaelic Storm played the dance band that entertained the steerage class in that blockbuster movie. --Bryan Reesman