Amadan, is Irish Gaelic for “Madness” or “The Fool”. So if you didn’t know what that meant before, you do now. This six-piece band Amadan, certainly has a plate of madness to bring to the dinner table. The lads hail from Corvallis, Oregon (A college town with a bad basketball team! just kidding!) One listen to the album, you can hear many different musical influences blended together and served up perfect. As the Amadan recipe explains: add a pint of guitar/vocals, 1.5 oz of didgeridoo, bodhran, 1 wee cup o’ dhoumbec, congas, 2 tbs of some bad ass bass, a “sprig” of rippin’ fast fiddle, heat, then add some spoons, more congas, penny whistle, mouth, and snare drum. Shake, stir, and serve to a rowdy crowd…Fists in the air and backs against the wall!

Most noticeable throughout the album to me is the Didgeridoo, which adds a whole new angle. On the track “Tell Me Ma” we have some smooth conga-bass-pennywhistle solos. “The Republic” simply starts with some acoustic guitar, the didgeridoo, fiddle, & congas, and then a solid groove picks up the tempo, as Eric’s vocals pick up the pace. The message in this song is quite clear, and a good example of what message the band is trying to get across. I really, really like this version of “Back Home In Derry.” And don’t forget “The Leaving of Liverpool”. A great debut album that should be added to CD collections worldwide!

April 2002

Review by Brian Gillespie