• Eternal Dance review by Cory C. Engel from CelticChristianTunes.com
• Celtic Carols review by Cory C. Engel from CelticChristianTunes.com

As noted in our previous review of Kildare's Celtic Carols, listeners will find this band familiar, due to their members' heavy contributions to the sounds of popular Celtic Christian band Iona. However, Kildare is by no means an Iona knock-off. While I'm a big fan of Iona, I think they are at their best when performing traditional tunes with emphasis on acoustic instruments; Kildare takes the traditional emphasis a bit further.

These three CD's are somewhat more traditional sounding than Celtic Carols, which has a subtley heavier rock beat in places. Listeners will undoubtedly recognize many familiar hymns in these CD's. Though they have a driving power in places carried by guitar and percussion, fiddle and uillean pipes usually carry the melody.

Eternal Dance has a consistent sound, but its variations in style, though subtle, take three basic forms: traditional acoustic Celtic, modern Celtic with ambient electronic sounds, and fairly straight instrumental hymn interpretations.

As its name would suggest, Morning Dance is often energetic and upbeat. Evening Dance is more introspective and peaceful, being toward the modern Celtic end of the spectrum, with mellow interpretations using piano and electronic instruments in addition to traditional ones.

Resurrection Dance focuses on the passion of Christ, with about half the songs devoted to His crucifixion as an expression of love, and the remainder dedicated to the risen and crowned savior. The former have a contemplative tone, bordering on somber in places; the CD then blends into a set of peaceful reflections on the results of Christ's sacrifice, and finally ends with an uplifting rendition of "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross".

These recordings, available both as a set and individually from Coventry Music, will undoubtedly be a blessing to those who listen.

--Cory Engel, CelticChristianTunes.com

If new Kildare listeners find their music familiar, they shouldn't be surprised--several of their members have contributed heavily to the sounds of popular Celtic Christian band, Iona. However, Kildare is by no means an Iona knock-off. While I'm a big fan of Iona, I think they are at their best when performing traditional tunes with emphasis on acoustic instruments; Kildare takes the traditional emphasis a bit further.

Having said that however, it would be incorrect to pigeonhole Kildare as a traditional band. In fact, Celtic Carols represents several styles, from the aforementioned traditional sound of "O Come and Join the Dance" to the strong rock beat of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", to the Iona-like ethereal sounds of "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence".

Celtic Carols' deceptively simple title captures this music well. A "carol" is a song of praise or joy, especially relating to Christmas (I looked it up). Many secular holiday recordings claiming the "Celtic" label seem devoid of both Celtic content and spiritual value. By contrast, Celtic Carols draws the listener into a joyful praise experience through renditions of traditional carols in forms consistent with the Celtic roots of Kildare's Irish, Scottish, English, and Welsh band members.

Celtic Carols can be purchased from Coventry Music.