They had me at the theme from Mission: Impossible.

Sure, I had enjoyed the first two tracks of Clear This Planet ... Immediately, which gets off to a dynamic start with "The Dalesman's Lament," then serves up a seriously fresh instrumental blast with the "Being Drunk Set." Then comes the brawling "Erin Go Bragh," about an unpleasant run-in with an English policeman; an energetic tangent into Mission: Impossible adds zest to the encounter and clearly demonstrates the band's gift for cunning arrangement ideas.

But it's the title track, "Clear This Planet ... Immediately," that really makes you sit up and take notice. The instrumental set is intense, and it builds towards a disturbing climax. The music drops into rhythmic pressure point, with the sounds of airplanes and helicopters, gunshots and falling bombs in the background and a sound bite of George W. Bush vowing, "You will not escape the justice of this nation," as more guns blast and a lonely baby starts to cry. The fiddle pulls a mournful Middle-Eastern theme from the debris before the music launches back into a lively jig.

It's hard not to listen to this track over and over again.

Smoky Finish is a rock- and blues-infused Celtic quintet from Austria, and "intense" falls short of describing the potency of this music. A touch of blues adds distinction to their interpretation of Andy M. Stewart's "The Queen of Argyll," while the interlude to a deceptively laidback "Master McGrath" will have you bolting for the finish line yourself. By comparison, "The World Turned Upside Down" and "Blackleg Miner" are subtly presented, but every bit as profound.

The band is Esch (guitars, bouzouki, mandolin, vocals, percussion), Bernhart Ruso (flutes, whistle, percussion), Andy Neumeister (guitars, bass, vocals), Klara Schiffermuller (fiddle) and Paul Dangl (fiddle, electric fiddle, backing vocals). The two singers, both excellent, add distinctive character to their songs; Neumeister in particular belts out his songs with a gruff, powerful voice and heightened emotion.

Alas, liner notes with this disc are regretfully sparse, not even telling us what tunes fill out the band's riveting tune jams.

A fine Scotch whisky is often described as having a "smoky finish." Likewise, this band is a pure, concentrated dose that goes down smooth and just might leave you reeling in the aftermath.

[ visit Smoky Finish online ]