The Long Black Veil

With Long Black Veil, the Chieftains attempted a mainstream pop crossover by recording with rock and pop stars from the Rolling Stones and Sting to Van Morrison and Sinéad O'Connor. Instead of changing their sound to accommodate the talents of their guests, the band plays it straight. As always, their performance is superb; what is surprising is how well the pop stars sing Celtic material. None of the guest singers sound displaced or uncomfortable, which is largely due to the sympathetic performances of the Chieftains. In fact, the pairings work so well that Long Black Veil doesn't sound like an effort to broaden their audience; rather, it sounds completely natural.