VA - Green Linnet Records: 25 Years Of Celtic Music [2CD Set] (2001)

American-based Green Linnet Records has been the definitive voice in Celtic music since the mid-'70s, and to celebrate its quarter-century mark, the label released a two-CD set featuring exceptional songs from some of the best loved artists on its roster. Often when labels assemble their best-of collections they end up sounding cobbled together with widely varying sound quality, sounding almost like an afterthought. Fortunately, Green Linnet has broken the mold with 25 Years of Celtic Music, a bright and complete-sounding compilation featuring a list of artists that reads like a who's who of Celtic music from the later part of the 20th century. Among the stellar performers represented are Capercaillie, Altan, Patrick Street, the Tannahill Weavers, Silly Wizard, Eileen Ivers, Mick Moloney, and Liz Carroll, as well as many other influential artists. The two-disc set is broken roughly into two time periods, disc one covering 1976-1996 and the second CD from 1997-2000, but within each disc the label didn't stick to any strict chronological order, presenting and sequencing the songs in a way that flows naturally. Bouncing reels follow moody ensemble pieces and instrumentals follow lush vocal passages, smoothly showcasing the transition from centuries-old traditional folk-based Irish and British songwriting to the electronically infused contemporary Celtic music of the 21st century. From warm, acoustic flute and fiddle kitchen sessions to cool and haunting contemporary compositions, 25 Years of Celtic Music covers all aspects of Celtic music from some of the genre's most talented performers.