Alan Stivell Albums (16)
What The Critics Say
From the cover alone, it's apparent that this is a new Alan Stivell, more hi-tech and up-to-date, and not the Breton troubadour of old. But, just in case you're worried, the harp still features on the back cover, so not everything has been abandoned, and most of the song titles are still in Breton. But this definitely is new; Explore is a disc where there's plenty of programming to backup Stivell and make the record thoroughly modern. That could be disconcerting. But, remember, this is the man who first electrified Breton music, making it into folk-rock all those years ago. What he's doing here is simply an update of that, although he's older now. Yet he doesn't sound it here. He dives into the music (all the pieces are his compositions, with nothing traditional) and submerges himself in it, to his full credit. And it's surprisingly successful, thanks to often imaginative programming by Sebastien Guerive. Stivell even samples one of his earlier CDs for a cut here, an intriguing turn of events. Ultimately, this is a record that's very aptly titled, since it does take Stivell into new territories. But he also sounds invigorated by it, and maybe the next record will see him delving even deeper into this new area. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide
'E Dulenn - In Dublin (National Stadium - Live)'
Release Date 1/1/2005
Tracks 11
Label Keltia III
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What The Critics Say
Alan Stivell's tenth album for Dreyfus is an all-instrumental solo affair involving six specially designed harps, low whistle, and keyboard and percussion effects. Ronan Le Bars and David Hopkins play Uilleann pipes and additional percussion, respectively. It is Stivell's devotion to the once-defunct Breton-Celtic harp tradition that drives this music (the liner notes are in English, French, and the little-known Breton language). But despite his fascination with antiquity, Stivell is a modernizer, as is made clear, for instance, by the electronic drum effects on "Bleimor, le Bagad." The ambient, spacy aesthetics bring Stivell close to the realm of new age, but above all one can hear the naturally creaky sound of acoustic string instruments, and that's always a pleasure. ~ David R. Adler, All Music Guide
'Back to Breizh'
Release Date 5/8/2000
Tracks 12
Label Disques Dreyfus
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What The Critics Say
Back to Breizh from Breton Harp master Alan Stivell utilizes a wide variety of influences on this 12-song disc. Added to his Celtic melodies are bagpipes, hints of rock guitar, DJs' turntables, and folk-rock in the tradition of Fairport Convention. Acoustic guitarist Jean Charles Guigen formerly of the group Ar Re Yaoank along with 15 musicians who play traditional and modern instruments compliments Stivell. This is an interestingly eclectic release on Dreyfus records. ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide
'Harpes du Nouvel Age'
Release Date 10/1/1999
Tracks 12
Label Dreyfus
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'International Tour: Tro Ar Bed'
Release Date 5/18/1999
Tracks 10
Label Dreyfus
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What The Critics Say
Alan Stivell's latest album is a journey into traditional Celtic music, adapted and arranged in settings ranging from soft folk-rock ("Ye Banks and Braes") to full electric band ("Brian Boru"), accompanied by a group that includes Maire Breatnach (vocals, fiddle), Ronan Browne (pipes, flute, whistle), Tracey Booth (vocals), Marc Chantereau (percussion), Guy Delacroix (bass), Jean-Jacques Hertz, Martin Meissonnier, and James Dollar (electric guitars). The effect is spellbinding, as polyrhythms intersect and interweave, electric guitars, harps, and pipes complement each other (most strikingly on the high-energy "Sword Dance"), and Stivell's vocals -- sounding like they come from a far and distant place -- carry the listener into new levels of musical creation and invention. Some of the music, such as "Let the Plinn," lacks much more than chanting and a vigorous percussion attack, but most of this album is filled with melodies that seduce and beguile the modern listener with amazing ease. Highlights include the dazzling title track, "Mna Na hEireann," and "Mairi's Wedding," the latter one of the most passionate rock-style songs Stivell has ever cut. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This album -- which, at times, recalls parts of Kate Bush's Hounds of Love -- is also reminiscent of Bo Hansson's Lord of the Rings, being a musical homage to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Arthurian novel The Mists of Avalon, much as Hanson's was a homage to Tolkien's trilogy. But Stivell's record is not instrumental--rather, it has lots of songs sung partly in Breton and partly in English. It is essentially a progressive rock album (it could even have charted had he done it in the early-1970's), complete with electronic keyboard-driven passages, and a full rock band sharing space with Stivell's harps, bagpipes and tin whistles. Stivell's voice is something of an acquired taste, but his vocals are supported by a trio of guest singers and a small female chorus. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
