THE REEL CHICKS & Family
Into the Tune
Philippe Cousin
It's an established fact that Celtic music, and Irish music in particular, is very popular in Germany. And there's no shortage of bands that have formed to play or draw inspiration from the Irish tradition. Just to name a few: Cara, Síolta, Iontach, An Tor, Fiddlers Green...
The latest band to emerge from Germany is The Reel Chicks & Family, formed around the Helm sisters, Maria (vocals and tin whistle) and Fanny (fiddle). They are assisted by Johnny O'Reel (guitar), Marc O'Reel (bass) and Toby O'Reel (bodhrán and percussion). This family quintet plays music that's part Irish folk, part Celtic pop. Their arrangements, combining traditional melodies and pop songs, are both varied and original.
On their debut album Into The Tune, their music and the songs they perform express all the melancholy of the Irish soul - Scarborough Fair, Aran Boat Song. Reels, jigs, waltzes and polkas invite you to dance, while the drinking songs they perform - Whiskey in The Jar - capture the sometimes rough atmosphere of the pubs of the green Erin.
Mary shows boundless energy as she blows her whistle, while Fanny plays long phrases on her hypnotic fiddle. The majority of the songs here are traditional: Toss The Feathers, Lord Of The Dance, Johnny Hardly Knew Ya, alongside more recent compositions: Beds are Burning, All That She Wants.
The Reel Chicks enjoy a certain popularity in Germany, and they enthuse audiences with their Irish songs. But they lack that little something that makes their music truly authentic. Pop music too often wins out over tradition.
Autoproduit - www.thereelchicks.com