Clannad: Nadur

The group Clannad revealed the name of their long-awaited new album slated for release in September on the ARC Music label. In an official announcement on their website and Facebook page, the legendary Celtic band announced the album's name as Nádúr [pronounced Ned-dur], the Gaelic word for nature.

It's a fitting title, as the album brings together the family band, siblings Moya, Ciarán and Pól Brennan, and their twin uncles Noel and Padraig Duggan (back with the original lineup for the first time since 1989's album Past Present) in a professional reunion. Pól Brennan had left the band after that album, while Clannad continued to perform, write and record new songs - most recently the Grammy-winning album Landmarks (1998). Solo careers and personal interests created a temporary hiatus for new Clannad music for the next few years.

in 2011, Clannad was invited to perform a series of concerts in Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral. In the intimate and historic nature of these concerts, Pól was invited to participate. The concerts were a great success. They were recorded and filmed and broadcast in America on PBS, after which they were released on CD and DVD. The events provided the catalyst that led the five to seriously consider a new album. Before going into the studio, however, they planned to tour extensively throughout North America and Europe. It was during this time on tour together that the ideas for Nádúr began to take shape.

"The fact that we were on the road together so extensively in the months leading up to the recording had some influence on the album." said Moya Brennan. "Playing live in the many countries gave us good clues, not only about what we expected from the new album, but also about what the audience wanted to hear. We believe that this recording touches on all aspects of our 40-year career. Every track is different and yet every track is pure Clannad."

And indeed, Nádúr is a very natural progression of the Clannad sound, which has been merging the traditional with the modern and the past with the future since the 70s - with breathtakingly beautiful results. Perhaps it is best summed up by Irish author Colum McCann, who concludes the album's liner notes with the following words: "Clannad - the family - once again took the local and made it universal. Is é seo nádúr dhúchasach ... it's in their nature. It will always be like that." (ARC Music Productions)

Works:

•Vellum
•Rhapsody Na gCrann
•Transatlantic
•Turas Dhomhsa Chon Na Galldachd
•Brave Enough
•The Fishing Blues
•Lamh Ar Lamh
•Tobar An tSaoil
•A Song In Your Heart
•A Quiet Town
•Hymn (To Her Love)
•Setanta
•Citi Na gCumann