I won't lie to you. The accordion is not my favorite instrument to hear featured throughout an album of Irish music.

Mary Staunton, from West Mayo, could almost make me change my mind. Her album Bright Early Mornings is a deft mix of accordion-dominated instrumental sets and songs, and the musicians she chose to support those 13 tracks keep it flowing through a very pleasant listening experience.

Staunton handles the accordion and vocals. Joining her are a fair array of Irish musicians: Steve Cooney on guitars, percussion and synth, Matt Crannitch on fiddle, Alec Finn on bouzouki and guitar, Martin Gavin on bodhran, Trevor Hutchinson on double bass, Frankie Lane on guitar, dobro and mandolin, John Maloney on bodhran, Andrew Murray on vocals, Sharon Shannon on accordion and fiddle, and Kate Staunton on fiddle.

The album is at its best on simple instrumental tracks, such as the opening "Mother and Child/Big John's/The Hop Down," featuring Staunton and Cooney in a set of tight, no-frills reels, "Grogan's Hornpipe," with Lane adding a touch of dobro twang to Staunton's accordion and Finn's bouzouki, "Trip It Up the Stairs/Michael Burke's," a jig set for accordion, bouzouki and bodhran, and the very happy-sounding "Magic Foot," a barn dance set for accordion, fiddle and guitar. Fuller tracks like "June Apple/Muddy Road/Give the Fiddler a Dram," an old-timey set combining Staunton's accordion with fiddles, guitars, mandolin and bodhran, also stands out, as does the slow air "Inishcarra," a lovely tune, pairing the accordion with Cooney's mellow, atmospheric synth.

Staunton's voice leans too far towards the country vein for my taste in the title track, "Bright Early Mornings," adapted from Pete Seeger's "Quiet Early Morning." Better is "What Would You Do Love?" with Staunton's vocals matched to the husky voice of Ininshbofin singer Andrew Murray, and the longing ballad "Green Fields of Mayo." While "Blue Ball" is a tad childish, lyrically, her a capella interpretation of the Gaelic song "Donncha Ban" is gorgeous.

There are a few tracks here I started skipping after hearing the album several times, but all in all it's an excellent recording. There aren't a lot of accordion players who can get me to sit up and really listen to the instrument -- Sharon Shannon and Phil Cunningham are of course among the favored few -- but now I can add Staunton to their ranks.