When I first saw Stem the Tide by Paul McKenna, I assumed it was by the hypnotist of TV and "stop smoking" fame. OK, so it turned out not to be by that person, but it is nevertheless hypnotic as only well played traditional music can be.

On the road for about five years, the Paul McKenna Band has built a solid fan base, and with this new CD will greatly enlarge that cohort. As in all the best of these releases there is a well-blended combination of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. These offerings combine the usual jaunty tunes and singalongs with more thoughtful pieces that are the hallmark of good folk.

One that I particularly enjoyed was "Silent Majority." On the story song side it is hard to beat "John Riley," which was written by Tim O'Brien.

The more familiar "The Banks of Newfoundland" is enhanced by some lovely instrumental music at the end, which is said to take its influence from many quarters. A similar treatment is meted out to "The Mermaid" with an original melody grafted to familiar lyrics. Another interesting and enjoyable track is Ewan McColl's "Terror Time."

This is an excellent album of great songs and tunes.