From the first song on The Incident, you know this is no typical Celtic-music album: “Lamped” kicks off with a vaguely African beat–slightly altered through some Radiohead-esque distortion–along with piano chords and what sound like electric guitars, before it eases into its rambunctious fiddle-and-accordion melody. Strings, piano and jazzy sax then converge in a chamber-music-style bridge.
Finally, there’s the siren wailing near the end of the tune, which sets a tone of urgency for the rest of the third album by this five-piece from County Antrim, Ireland. It’s appropriate that the group, juggling styles and a raft of guest musicians on this CD, would choose a name that means “lively” in Gaelic.
Beoga doesn’t neglect traditionalism and makes sure to touch all the requisite bases–jigs, reels, waltzes–but the band, fronted by fiddler and vocalist Niamh Dunne, clearly is looking to challenge conventions and blaze a trail or two. These folks aren’t shy about blending elements of tango, blues, polka, gospel, pop and New Orleans second-line music.
The creative energy remains high even when Beoga performs quiet numbers, such as the beautiful, mournful “Mary Danced With Soldiers.” Dunne’s gorgeous vocals are a joy on this piece, as well as on a ragtime take on Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Strange Things” and a stark interpretation of Clifford T. Ward’s “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2009.
