Re-releases can sometimes falter as they struggle to find purchase in another time, another place, but Dermot Byrne’s 1995 solo recording is a timeless delight that straddles centuries with the agility and ease that Byrne’s fingers ricochet across the reeds.
A long-time anchor of Altan, Byrne's subtlety as an accordion player has always marked him apart. His tune selections here are inspiring: hornpipes and highlands are afforded the same meticulous and filigree treatment, so that The Victoria Hornpipe (borrowed from Dermot McLoughlin) and the highland set anchored by Jimmy Lyons trace their own heartbeats with an ear ever cocked to the demands of the melody.
A rediscovered gem featuring some of the finest musicians, that’s well worthy of a second outing.
