[Music Review] Triskelion – Music on Fridays

For something a little Different…

I’ve mentioned before that I always hesitate before reviewing books/stories by friends. Mostly because I desperately WANT to like the work because I like the people, but sometimes you can LOVE the person, but not the work for whatever reason. Music is the same way – just a different medium. I almost have to take it like the mindset of dealing with celebrities – go in “jaded” thinking they’re going to be insufferable, so when they’re the COOLEST PEOPLE EVAR, you’re pleasantly surprised.

Back in early May, we went to Four Winds Renaissance Faire to do an “author weekend”. It was an experiment. We have friends – Floyd and Sarah Brigdon and Leah Tharp – who have a booth out there who let us take up space. Other than selling stuff, they perform 3-4 times a day on a couple of different stages. At the end of the weekend, we traded a book for one of their group’s CDs.

The group is Triskelion. The music is folk/celtic/ren faire. There’s a mix of instruments and three part voices. Floyd plays more than guitar, as well. He plays the Bouzoukis and the Cittern. They shanghai their kids for the penny whistle on a couple of tracks. But that “labor of love” isn’t as “homegrown” as it sounds.

When I first heard one of their songs on random shuffle, I had to concentrate on WHICH artist this might have been – I have several Celtic/Folk/Ren Faire groups on my iPod including The Barra Macneils. The production quality was comparable. I enjoyed the music, the production, and the harmonies. But what I like about this CD a lot — they’re not the same songs that every other Celtic/Folk/Ren faire group seems to put on a first/early CD.

There are times I put my iPod on straight play, and I can hear 2-4 versions of the same song – Triskelion isn’t one of them, except for “The Water is Wide” – and that only duplicates Queen Anne’s Lace, which is a TOTALLY separate sound. I’m sure the connoisseur of this style of music will be more critical of the mechanics of the disk, but as for me. I just LIKE IT.

Floyd, Sarah, and Leah are complimentary voices. They have a good blend of harmony and musical talent. The instruments don’t overwhelm the vocals. There’s even a couple of very nice instrumentals that are fun to listen to. If you get a chance, check out the CD or see them in person. It’s worth the listen.

Tags: Barra Macneils, Four Winds Renaissance Festival, music, Queen Anne's Lace, Triskelion, Triskelion Music