The Celtic music scene has become rather stylistically diverse on both sides of the Atlantic, ranging from strictly traditional acoustic performances from the Chieftains to very electric Celtic rock from the likes of the Pogues. Some groups also tend to mix Celtic influence with other eclectic styles. This week, we have one of the latter. It’s the latest from the Philadelphia-area group House of Hamill, their fourth album called Wildfire.

House of Hamill got its start as a result of some canceled airline flights. Rose Baldino of the group Burning Bridget Cleary was faced with a situation at a performance in which the flights of the other band members were canceled. Rather than lose the gig, Ms. Baldino approached Brian Buchanan of the Celtic rock band Enter the Haggis, who was also at that festival, and convinced him to perform with her. They soon realized how musically compatible they were and began appealing as House of Hammill. The duo was booked to play an electric set to end a festival in Colorado, so they hired a bass player and drummer to play the gig. But as luck would have it, their flight was canceled, and at the last minute, they connected with a local musician Carol Browning, to play bass with the group for the festival. Again, the musical chemistry was there, and Browning became the third member of House of Hamill. She also plays mandolin with the group, in addition to the bass.

On their new album, the trio, often supplemented by some guest musicians including banjo virtuoso Scott Vestal, serve up a diverse stylistic mix from traditional sounding Celtic, to Celtic rock, to bluegrass, in a collection of original songs that often weave in traditional ballad lyrics, and in one case a W.B. Yeats poem, and in others some more contemporary themes. There are also a couple of well-written instrumentals with sophisticated arrangements.

Opening is one of the instrumentals, an original called Ausible which starts out as a strong minor-key jig… <<>> before getting into a driving and more electric-sounding reel section. <<>>

That is followed by The Banks of the Brandywine based on a legend set in the Brandywine River in Eastern Pennsylvania. It features strong vocal harmonies by the group. <<>>

The band includes one cover, the Jimmy Webb song The Highwayman a song about re-incarnation that has been recorded by Glenn Campbell and Johnny Cash, among others, and was the inspiration for the naming of the group The Highwaymen, with Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. House of Hamill do the song in a mostly acoustic version that allows one to focus on Webb’s creative lyrics. <<>>

One of the original songs based on a traditional story, in this case a tragedy, is Silver Dagger the saga of a love affair that faced family disapproval in which the lovers both meet their ends with the silver dagger in question. <<>>

Another of the instrumentals is Smoke Jumper which is a showcase for the group’s fiddle work. It’s a blend of Celtic influence and bluegrass, and is one of the highlights of the album. <<>>

Nashville Banjo man Scott Vestal appears on another bluegrass-influenced piece called Shine which the band describe as a “song of encouragement for women after a tough couple of years of U.S. policy change.”

The song based on a William Butler Yeats poem is called Into the Garden. It’s a nicely-done blend of folk, Celtic and bluegrass. <<>>

Another original song woven around an old legend is Unquiet Grave which has also been the inspiration for other such songs over the years. House of Hamill’s take on it tempers the spooky lyrics with an upbeat Celtic rock musical setting with drums. Brian Buchanan’s lead vocals are quite appealing. <<>>

The album concludes with its title piece Wildfire with lyrics inspired by the wildfires spawned by climate change. It’s another creative stylistic blend, with Appalachian folk, a rock back-beat and nice vocal harmonies. <<>>

Wildfire the new fourth album by the band House of Hamill, is probably their best yet with a creative stylistic amalgam, skillfully constructed, with appealing original songs, but with traditional elements that show their sources of inspiration: Celtic, bluegrass, traditional folk, plus a little straight out rock. Rose Baldino, Brian Buchanan and Caroline Browning, who owe their band’s existence to the serendipity of canceled airline flights, are in great form on the new album, aided by guest a banjo player, percussionist, and cellist, in an album recorded in several locations from North Carolina, Massachusetts, and their hometown of Philadelphia. The result is an album that is not only interesting for its eclecticism, but quite appealing.

Our grade for audio quality is close to an “A” with acoustic instruments well-handled, and with a punchy sound for the rock-influenced tracks with the percussion.

Celtic rock has been around for a couple of decades now. But most such bands tend to be electric most of the time. House of Hamill’s Wildfire offers both the acoustic and electric side, and does both adeptly, with a good deal of class.

(c) Copyright 2024 George D. Graham. All rights reserved.
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<<>> indicates audio excerpt played in produced radio review

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