athas CD review - Irish Music Magazine - November 2008
ÁTHAS
Áthas CD 001
15 Tracks
Running Time 48.22
www.athasmusic.comÁthas has become the band of choice for dancers in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas in a very short time. Their first album is self-titled: Irish for joy and happiness. It is an interesting and tuneful work, made up of old tunes and new compositions.
Áthas is made up of fiddler Heather Lewin-Tiarks, Jeff Ksiazek on guitar, whistles, and flute and Amy Richter on bodhrán, djiembe and whistles. Guest, Kathleen Bremer, joins them on flute. The fifteen pieces on the album cover a wide range of styles. It opens with a pair of tunes written by the trio, The Cheesehead Polka/ The $150 Boot polkas delivered in perfect dance rhythm. The old reliable, Boys of Tandagree is teamed up with a couple of other jigs, Tuesday Morning/Checkered Blanket, written by Heather.
Iníon ní Mhicheál is a sweet and sweeping waltz written by Jeff Ksiazek with the three blending in perfectly. His guitar leads into the tune, and is followed by Lewin-Tiarks fiddle, and then Richter's drumming. Richter's drumming is also prominently featured on the reels Drowsy Maggie/Mountain Road/Tam Lin. Lewin-Tiarks comes to the fore on Spootiskerry/Teatime with Seamus with nicely balanced delivery. Ksiazek and Richter collaborate on whistles on An Choisir/Micho Russell's/Rejected Suitor with Lewin-Tiarks providing the backing rhythm on fiddle.
The only complaint I have is the freshman sensibility of trying to be too clever, which the band does by adding fake break endings on a couple of the tunes. Other than that, this is really a very well played and produced work. Áthas it is, joyful to hear. - Brian Witt
http://www. irishmusicmagazine. com/issues/1108nov/http://www. irishmusicmagazine. com/releases/1108nov/