Butterfly

"Celebrating the elemental qualities inherent in our musical tradition, this collaboration between east Clare fiddle player, Martin Hayes and Brooklyn Rider, (aptly described as an "omnivorous" string quartet by 251 Records) is a masterclass in risk-taking and at the same time an unapologetic doffing of their collective caps to the seemingly simple tunes that form the backbone of most early traditional musicians' repertoires ... A collection best savoured slowly, again and again".

Læs anmeldelse

"Top of the world" - "Irish folk/classical pairing that really takes flight ... The title-track is a great example of the unit's approach: Brooklyn Rider tease us with three minutes of impressionistic chamber music reminiscent of Bartók before Hayes breaks in with the tune proper. This delayed gratification approach is risky but pays off; it's a trick re-deployed on 'Bob and Bernie' and other tracks. Classical arrangements that seem wholly at odds with well-known trad tunes resolve themselves in context, like statements in a friendly argument. The best track arrives last. 'Hole in the Hedge' has a beautiful arrangement, with Brooklyn Rider snaking jazz-like chromatic coils around Hayes' fiddle lines. It's a fitting end to the album, recalling New York's own tradition of romantic, jazz-influenced composers; as if Gershwin were remembering a downtown Irish session he had wandered into".