Mighty strange, but the
Best of Mary Black, Vol. 2 is extremely similar to the import version of the
Best of Mary Black, 1991-2000. The second discs of each are, in fact, identical, and include an album that was never released called "Hidden Harvest."
Black is Ireland's premier vocalist. She interprets the tradition in many different ways without ever losing it in the arrangements. Her take on
pop songs is to render them through the eyes and ears of the great
Celtic folk tradition as well. There are, as would be expected, many fine moments on this set, including her readings of
Dougie MacLean's
"Turning Away," Thom Moore's
"Still Believing," Phil Colclough's
"Song for Ireland," and
Noel Brazil's
"The Loving Time." The second disc features some beautiful duet performances, including a duet with
Joan Baez -- live, no less -- on
Bob Dylan's
"Ring Them Bells," "Sonny" with
Dolores Keane and
Emmylou Harris, and
"Bruach Na Carraige Baine," with
Seamus Begley. Some other moments here on disc two are beautiful performances of
John Lennon's
"Across the Universe" (with
Noel Bridgeman), the
traditional "Ae Fond Kiss," and
Mick Hanly's
"Without the Fanfare." Purists will call this music "sellout," but then, they never got it anyway.
Black is a singer first, a singer of songs, and a terrific interpreter because of her unique manner of placing them in the context of the
folk tradition. She is an Irish singer second, and whether it's
pop,
traditional music,
jazz or
rock she takes on, the mark on the material is unmistakably her own. ~ Thom Jurek
![Back Home in Sulphur Springs [Norman & Nancy Blake]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0803020121126_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Back Home in Sulphur Springs [Norman & Nancy Blake]")
