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The Blue Idol

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The Blue Idol
Studio album by
Released26 February 2002
RecordedJune – August 2001
GenreIrish traditional
Folk
Length49:20
LabelNarada
ProducerAltan
Altan chronology
Another Sky
(2000)
The Blue Idol
(2002)
Local Ground
(2005)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
Billboard [2]

The Blue Idol is the eighth studio album by Irish traditional band Altan, released in February 2002 on the Narada label.

Overview

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The Blue Idol features guest artists such as Dolly Parton on "The Pretty Young Girl" (which was translated by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's father Proinsias Ó Maonaigh) and Paul Brady on "Daily Growing".

The album was mixed and engineered by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Gary Paczosa

Critical reception

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The Blue Idol received an enthusiastic review from Billboard, describing it as "a work of genius" and as "a triumph for Altan and a reminder of the endless charm of Irish music".[2]

Track listing

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  1. "Daily Growing" [song] – 4:53 (also known as "The Trees They Grow High")
  2. "Uncle Rat" [song] – 2:18
  3. "Roaring Water" [jig] – 3:15
  4. "The Pretty Young Girl" [song] – 4:39
  5. "The Blue Idol" ("The Blue Idol"/"The Butchers March") [jigs] – 3:05
  6. "The Trip to Cullenstown" ("The Gatehouse Maid"/"The Ashplant"/"The Trip to Cullenstown") [reels] – 3:52
  7. "Cuach Mo Lon Dubh Buí" [song] – 3:02
  8. "Mother's Delight" ("Mother's Delight"/"Ormond Sound"/"Mike Hoban's Reel") [reels] – 4:22
  9. "The Low Highland" ("The Low Highland"/"Moneymusk"/"Duncan Davidson Highlands"/"The Wild Irishman Reel") [highlands and reel] – 3:39
  10. "The Sea-Apprentice Boy" [song] – 3:50
  11. "Sláinte Theilinn (A Health to Teelin)" [air] – 4:00
  12. "An Cailín Deas Óg" [song] – 4:40
  13. "Gweebarra Bridge" ("Comb Your Hair and Curl It"/"Gweebarra Bridge") [slip-jig and reel] – 3:45

All titles are traditional, with the following exceptions:

  • "Roaring Water" – composed by Ciaran Tourish and Mark Kelly
  • "Cuach Mo Lon Dubh Buí" – lyrics traditional, music composed by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
  • "Sláinte Theilinn – A Health to Teelin" – composed by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

See tune identifications for this album at irishtune.info.

Live performances

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Altan played live in concert the following tracks:

  • "Uncle Rat"
  • "The Pretty Young Girl"
  • "The Blue Idol/The Butchers March"
  • "An Cailín Deas Óg"
  • "Comb Your Hair and Curl It/Gweebarra Bridge".

Personnel

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Altan

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Guest musicians

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Production

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  • Gary Paczosa – Engineer
  • Alistair McMillan – Assistant engineer
  • Amelia Stein – Band photography
  • Shaughn McGrath/Four 5 One Design – Design

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Nickson, Chris. The Blue Idol at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b "The Blue Idol". Billboard. 2 March 2002. Retrieved 20 February 2015.