On November 11, Irish singer Keith Harkin released "Nollaig," his solo Christmas album. Nollaig is Gaelic for Christmas. It was an instant hit for preorders and sales on Amazon and iTunes. The album contains original music as well as unique arrangements on traditional songs. The record was produced under Blue Elan records, the same record company that produced Harkin's album, "On Mercy Street," that was released earlier this year.There is a variety of songs on the album. "2,000 Miles" is the style that long time Harkin fans have some to love and expect. Harkin's version of "Auld Lang Syne" was also featured on his "On Mercy Street" album. Each song brings out Harkin's voice and shows how versatile it is.
Harkin explores several different sounds on the album, but there is a primary focus on a jazz feel. This is a side of Harkin that fans are not as used to, but he does it well. It is a nice change of pace from his usual singer-songwriter feel (which is equally as awesome). The album nods to the famous jazz Christmas songs that have come to be synonymous with the holiday season. The piano part on these songs helps to emphasize the jazz feel of the songs that include this. It is nice to see Harkin branch into something different and be so good at it.
"Auld Lang Syne" is one of the covers that Harkin does on this album. He changes the tune from what many are familiar with and rearranges some of the lyrics. It features uilleann pipes and an orchestra as background music. The song starts off softly with the background music and just Keith, but then grows louder as the song progresses. The background music becomes more intense and more singers join in, resembling a holiday party.
"No Love Dying" is an especially relevant song for 2016, especially after the Election. Many people feel that love, kindness, and acceptance have died after such a long and hard year, but if we keep looking and fighting to keep love alive, we can sustain it and make the world a better place. Love starts on a small scale within our homes and communities and then disperses to the world. This song showcases the feeling of "peace on earth and goodwill to man" that the holiday season brings out of the world.
One of the more surprising songs on the album is "Arthur McBride." Many people would not specify this song as a Christmas or holiday song, even though the story takes place on Christmas. The song is a traditional Irish song, but Harkin puts his unique twist on it. It is more upbeat than other versions of the song. He enunciates the lyrics clearer than many other covers, getting the story across clearly. His laughter throughout the song displays his connection to this song, which is something special that many artists do not possess.
