The Hidden World is an exploration of the different faces of Celtic Music: fiery dance tunes and songs are woven together seamlessly with laments, tales of ordinary life and stories of the Gentry or Sídhe (now called the Faeries). The powerful musicianship and stripped-down arrangements—most tracks have guitar, fiddle and voice only—deeply evoke the stark beauty, joys and sorrows of the Celtic experience.
The Hidden World marks a new sound and approach for Changeling. It is both traditional and original. The album features several tunes written by fiddler Deborah Clark Colón, including Deborah's tribute to the spirit of Charlie Parker, "The Pizza Reel." Many of the songs on the album will be new to listeners, dragged out of the hidden vaults and archives of Irish and Scottish music, edited and rewritten by Karl Clark Colón (those old songs can be really long…). This music was put together with traditional Irish tunes and other music, and beaten into a new sound by Deborah, Karl and producer Ged Foley (of Patrick Street and The House Band).
It is at once upbeat, accessible, obscure and eerie, and that's quite a trick. This album also features the first time that guest musicians have appeared on a Changeling album. Ged Foley appears on two tracks playing guitar, mandolin and shaker, and Craig Markley makes a completely unexpected debut as a Tibetan throat singer. The Hidden World was recorded at Lone Raven Studios in Delaware, Ohio during May and June, 2000 with Craig Markley at the knobs and sliders.
Tracks
- Love at the Endings
- Bonnie Dundee (lyrics)
- The Colóns' March
- Shane Crossagh (lyrics)
- Blue Ash
- The Brewer Laddie (lyrics)
- The Hawthorn Tree (lyrics)
- Jenny Pippin
- The Jazz Hornpipes
- Song of Repentance (lyrics)
- The Thirtieth Year
- The Jolly Farmer (lyrics)
- The Blackthorn
- The Factory Bell (lyrics)