Disco de Clannad: “Fuaim”

I am mostly a fan of the more New Agey Clannad but I do find this album to be amusing. This marks the point of where Clannad take a turn to the more pop new age sound that would define their later sound after this. This album is mosly a more traditional Irish folk sounding one but with some Western instruments that signaled the turn they would make later on.

The titles are confusing so it's a little difficult for me to break down this review into each individual track like I usually do when writing positive reviews.

An Tull is a rather happy popppy folk song. Fans of this kind of Clannad may not like songs like the airy Ri Na Cruinne, Anam or the ominous Mohicans Theme. The Green Fields Of Ghaothdobhair is a rather jazzy track that sounds similar to In A Lifetime. Na La Gaoithe La Na Scoilbe is my favorite song on this CD. It has some chants that would be the blueprint of their more haunting material. This song is over six minutes long and is like several songs in one. It starts off with mostly wobbly keyboards. The chanting then starts up. Then it becomes a mostly acoustic guitar song similar to Cad Sin Don Te Sin from Banba and then becomes a jazzy pop song with beautiful flutes.

This would be the last folk sounding album of theirs. For those who are mostly folk music lovers this might have been their last good album but hey I like both their more folk material as well their more New Age pop music as well. I recommend this album Even though it is only 35 minutes long.

"Fuaim," pronounced "foom," is the Irish Gaelic word for sound or noise. This Clannad outing is one of their best. From the rhythmic waulking music (used by cloth fullers as they worked the material) to the beautiful ballads, to the playful, this family band's music never fails to please. My favorite cut on this album is "The Lish Young Buy-a-Broom," a humorous ballad in the traditional sense of the term (a song that tells a tale). Fans of Clannad, Maire Brennan, Enya ... in fact, most other Celtic groups ... will find this album a necessary addition to their collections.

Fuiam was my first Clannad CD. I bought it on a whim. I listen to it almost everyday. If you want to try Irish music start HERE........

One of the two Clannad albums on which you can find the voice of Enya. You can hear her as lead vocals on two of the songs. This is one of the classic Clannad albums with the haunting Celtic tunes that Clannad is so famous for. They've somewhat changed their sound to a more mellow tune through the years so if you're interested in their earlier stuff this is the album to buy. Fuaim was produced by Nicky Ryan who went with Enya when she went solo.

If you want to relax but not sleep, this album is for you. If you want to sip coffee or whatever drink makes you feel relaxed, this is a great background sound. For a MATURE listener, this music is rich and extremely beautiful with lush guitars, authentic melodies from Ireland and the hypnotic voices of Enya and her sister. In most of the songs, I DON'T UNDERSTAND A WORD THEY'RE SAYING BUT THE SONGS ARE REALLY 'FRIENDLY' TO THE EARS, THE MIND AND TO THE HEART.