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Altan Another Sky 2000, Narada (Virgin) Altan takes its name from a lake in County Donegal and as a band has existed, in one form or another, for well over fifteen years. Their latest Celtic import is a diverse collection of reels and jigs, carried by some wonderful musicianship. What really drives Altan’s power as a group is the handful of ballads carried by fiddler and vocalist Maihread Ni Mhaonaigh’s. (Three tunes are sung in English, including a cover of Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country.” [mp3 sample on Altan's web page] The rest are in Gaelic). With twin fiddles, and traditional instruments including accordion and bouzouki, this is a fine collection of Irish traditional music.—Michael Gaither