They almost lost me in the very beginning. By the second track of Causeway's In the Footsteps of Finn McCool, put off by the obvious country and rockabilly influences, I was considering who else on the Rambles staff would appreciate this music more than I. Fortunately (for me), I held out a little longer -- and soon, I was startled to realize I was singing loudly along with the songs, stabbing at the repeat button more than once so I could sing the likes of "Black and Tans," "The Leaving of Liverpool" and "Celtic Symphony" again. And again.

Causeway is Kimberly Killen on vocals, pennywhistle and percussion, Patrick Close on vocals, electric and acoustic guitars and bass, Gerry Clark on vocals, bass, mandolin and acoustic guitar, and Martin Bradfield on drums and percussion. The band performs tightly together; special kudos go to Killen for the range and potency of her singing.

In the Footsteps of Finn McCool is a series of conflicting styles and some, as I said, didn't sit well with me. The album opener, "Ireland," was steeped in country stylings. The next track, a rockin' "Dirty Old Town," smacked too much of rockabilly for my tastes. But track 3, "Black and Tans," blasted from my speakers with ragged anger -- a perfect modern interpretation of the IRA standard, with a drum blitz reminiscent of "Sing Sing Sing" punctuating the tune. "County Antrim" turns to wistful melancholy, evoking the feelings of a family driven by poverty from their Irish homeland.

After a pair of traditional ballads -- "Spancil Hill" and "Brennan on the Moor" -- the band really caught my attention with its gritty rendition of "The Leaving of Liverpool." Sure, the song has been done by countless Irish bands, but something about this version had me singing loudly as I careened through the Montana Rockies, over and over again. Then, when I finally let the CD proceed to the rowdy "Celtic Symphony," I started the process again, drawn in by Killen's edgy vocals and Close's electric guitar. After an exuberant cover of "Home Boys, Home," Close rescues the band from another maudlin version of "Whiskey in the Jar," taking his cue from Thin Lizzy's classic remake.

The happy-go-lucky drinkin' song "Nancy Whiskey" follows with a great deal of cheer. Then Killen does lovely service to Tommy Makem's heartbreaking "Four Green Fields" -- her soaring vocals at the end will give you chills. The album ends as it began, giving a nod to rockabilly with a soulful, bluesy production of "Galway Bay" which again shows off Killen's vocal talents.

Three of 13 tracks seem a bit out of place, but the performance throughout In the Footsteps of Finn McCool is excellent. According to the liner notes, this album is the result of constant demand from Causeway's fans. I hope those fans are demanding a sequel soon!

[ by Tom Knapp ]
Rambles: 30 June 2001