Description

The Dardanelles have quickly become one of Canada’s premier traditional folk groups. Having performed at many major folk festivals across the country they have been lauded for their highly infectious sound, their skillful playing and the youthful energy they bring to the music. This album is the one that set them off onto their path of rapid success and critical notoriety. This record features a slightly different line-up than the one present on “The Eastern Light”. The Bouzouki and fiddle parts on the first record were done by Andrew Dale (The Once) and Kate Bevan-Baker respectively. Both brought exceptional skill to their roles in the band and certainly left big shoes for Matthew Byrne and Emilia Bartellas to fill. On this recording you really begin to get a sense of where the band was going musically. The music is rooted in the traditional music of Newfoundland and Ireland, mingled with some original compositions all maintaining a vibrancy and joy that, historically, made these tunes so popular at dance halls all across Newfoundland. The Dardanelles pay reverent homage to two of Newfoundland’s most famous fiddlers, Emile Benoit and Rufus Guinchard by performing fantastic versions of some fiddle tunes written by the two legends that have since become very popular compositions in the Newfoundland traditional cannon. You hear the band coming together as a group on this record and their synergy is immediate. Again, one of the most striking things about the Dardanelles, past and present, is their attention to musically authentic detail. The bands trademark has become the exuberance and forward momentum of the recordings and live performance and this album is a wonderful glimpse into the group’s development. We hope that this album marks the beginning of a long and successful career for this young group.