Our Review
Sweet! Siucra means "sugar" in Irish, and it also means a most delicious Christmas collection for those who love to savor Celtic and folk music during the holiday season. Siucra is Beth Leachmann (lead vocals and bodhran), Shannon Heaton (flute, whistles, and backing vocals), and Matt Heaton (guitar and backing vocals). The recording was done, at least in part, live--and I know this because you can hear the enthusiastic audience murmuring, stompin', clappin' and having an outrageously good time, time, time during "Come Day Go Day," and the sound of applause at the end of several other numbers.
Crisp, clean, and polished heel-kickin' music--that's Siucra! The CD is a terrific combination of vocal pieces (songs) and instrumental numbers (reels, hornpipes, and jigs). Of the 14 cuts, about half are immediately familiar. All, however, are true gems; I was a-smilin' from stem to stern on this one.
If the lead singer lacks the right stuff, this sort of album never rises above average. Not a problem for "A Very Siucra Christmas"; lead singer Leachmann has the sort of voice that I could listen to all day. She's powerful and perfect, warm and wonderful. Her alto voice is the gold standard, and it flashes pure, unadorned brilliance on the a cappella "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
This is not to slight the Heatons, the other superb Siucra members. This group exhibits Professionalism with a capital "P" on every aspect of this album. The gorgeous harmonies are hypnotic, and the instrumentation sweeps you away with its rhythmic and precise musicality. Magnificent!
It is extremely difficult to point out the best tracks on a uniformly wonderful album like this. If forced to do so, I would list "The Cherry Tree Carol," "The Holly and the Ivy," and "Sing to Your Darlin'" as standouts. The last two, in particular, demonstrate terrific harmonies.
"A Very Siucra Christmas" is an extremely tasty holiday selection for any Celtic music aficionado. You'll come away from the table feeling fully satisfied.
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)
More
From the liner notes:
Siucra is:
Beth Leachman: lead vocals and bodhran
Shannon Heaton: flute and whistles and backing vocals
Matt Heaton: guitar and backing vocals
From the website:
Siúcra is pronounced 'shoo-kruh', and it means 'sugar' in Irish.
Sweetly polished, razor-sharp Irish trio (three vocals, flute/whistle, guitar, bodhran), offering a mix of traditional and original songs and tunes that the Boston Globe calls "pulsing and vibrant!"
Siúcra is Beth Leachman (lead vocals, bodhran), Shannon Heaton (Irish flute, whistles, vocals), and Matt Heaton (guitar, vocals). Formed in 1998, Siúcra has developed a thick, sassy sound that blends vocals, powerfully rhythmic guitar and gutsy Irish flute. Danny Carnahan wrote in Acoustic Guitar, "A 5-piece band would be hard-pressed to match the amount of music these three make.
Siucra
A Very Siucra Christmas
Order from Amazon
Order from CD Baby
Artist site
Label: Eats Records
Length: 46 minutes
Genre: Celtic
Release: 2003
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Christmas Day and Christmas Night (song) |
| Christmas Eve (reels) |
| The Cherry Tree Carol (song) |
| Come Day Go Day (song & reel) |
| Feast for a King (jigs) |
| The Friendly Beasts (song) |
| Bird in the Bush (reels) |
| O Come, O Come Emmanuel (song) |
| Lark in the Box (jigs & song) |
| The Holly and the Ivy (song) |
| A Good Thing (hornpipes) |
| Silent Night (song) |
| Sing to Your Darlin' (song) |