TremoloCladdagh Records ***

There's a whole lot going on in this second solo album from Tyrone fiddler Donall Donnelly. Oddly titled Tremolo, the same name as Donnelly's band, it features all Tremolo members. One of its defining characteristics is Donnelly's contribution of 14 original tunes. He's at his best in contemplative mood, as Teardrops attests: its languid pace defines the clear lines of the melody beautifully. Donnelly's own fiddle playing is high definition as well, especially on the bare-boned Tommy's Tarbukas with nothing more than Karl Nesbitt's bodhrán for company. But the dense arrangements occasionally obscure the delicacy of Donnelly's choices. The inclusion of a Mexican folk song (Mi Sueño), from guest Elva MacGowan, sits oddly adrift amid the tunes. Echoes of Moving Hearts can be heard in the arrangements. As Donnelly is a player with such finesse, one suspects that less might have been so much more. claddaghrecords.com