Liz Carroll

Liz Carroll is a noted fiddler in the Irish tradition who has taken the instrument and music in exciting new directions with her virtuosic playing. Here, Carroll is not only an interpreter, but a composer, writing 11 of the album's 15 songs herself. Accompanied sparely by the talented guitar of Daithi Sproule, Carroll runs through an energetic set with enough fabulous fiddle runs and turns toward emotion to keep any fan of the instrument thoroughly enthused. Just when the lament "Tune for Mairéd & Anna Ní Mhaonaigh" starts becoming too sad, it gives way to the scrappy "Sock in the Hole/Hole in the Sock," where hundreds of little high notes act like happy needles in your neck. Elsewhere, a series of reels is made consistently interesting by Carroll's unique style, which seems to drop odd notes into the gaps between bars and measures. Best might be "Clarke's Favorite/Pigeon on the Gate," which plays urgent high parts off of dark-toned bottom notes for a truly wild ride. Liz Carroll's good for listening, better for dancing, and great for Irish and traditional music in general, since it proves Carroll to be as adept a songwriter as she is a player and only suggests what tantalizing places she'll take the music next.