CelticWomanForum.com

Ancient Land!
Check out my answer at
Celticwomanforum.net

Here:
http://www.celticwomanforum.net/index.php?topic=407.0

Posting here won't let me which is still very annoying at times!

Everyone Feel Free to interact and use this space!

Still Love to read!!*

Whoah is this the First Celtic Woman Special DVD that won't include You Raise Me Up.  :o

 1st DVD
Excludes Holiday's

Believe didn't include it either.

It's obvious I somehow skipped Believe because aside they all have You Raise Me Up. Interestingly the Parting Glass has ended both since Believe, until Destiny and back now to Ancient Land.   

You got me! Its only 1 DVD out of 6 having it!.

I just received an email from CW saying the Ancient Land CD will be released on October 26th. :)

**pre-order details coming soon.

That essentially confirms the date indicated by Amazon.

September 28th in France. I checked on the french iTunes.

Yes, it appears the album will release in digital form on September 28, 2018.

The CD will release October 26 with two extra songs (possibly 4 extra songs on a Target exclusive CD).

The PBS special airs starting on US Thanksgiving (November 22).

I'm guessing the DVD will release in January 2019, but it might be sooner.

I love that many songs are originals - two of them are co-written by Méav! I haven't been as excited for a CW album in a while.

And an original song that Eabha wrote: Garden of Eden (which she performed at her concert in New York in support of Kylemore Abbey before she became a member of Celtic Woman).

I think the only other song written by a CW lady and performed on stage was Shooting Star by Orla, back in the 2006 tour and then recorded for her solo album :) This one made it to an official CW album!

Other than Mairead Nesbitt composing some of her songs, right?

That's right - Máiread co-wrote Granuaile's Song. Aside from that, plenty of our CWuties write their own songs, but they usually don't get featured in Celtic Woman shows/albums.

Funny thing : today, I went to the french iTunes store to see if I could listen to some of the album's tracks and...

The album is not listed anymore ! Did iTunes jump the gun, or what ? I pre-ordered is, of course, but now, I don't know if it will be available when they said it would be. As I said, funny.

That's odd.

It's still listed on iTunes and Amazon in North America with expected date of Sept 28, 2018. Maybe a regional issue with releasing on that date?

same issue here on German iTunes as well as on amazon.de...  :(

Despite my worries, it is on German Spotify, so I suppose iTunes and Amazon will add it later on! It's amazing, by the way!

Aaaand they deleted it. Great.

Update: It's on YouTube. Unavailable in some countries, but a YT unblocker or downloader should fix that. Exceptional album, really. My favourite of the last years. In fact, not counting the Christmas albums which have a special place in my heart, this one is very likely to become my third favourite, after A New Journey and Celtic Woman.

I just bought the mp3 album on Amazon. The physical copy isn't available yet. I'm not going to get a chance to listen to it until later because I'll have to be driving somewhere before it's over, dang it!

https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Land-Celtic-Woman/dp/B07H7VZJ3Y (https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Land-Celtic-Woman/dp/B07H7VZJ3Y)

So the first half is pretty Celtic and the second half is not so much. And yes, Sive is Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh. I'm hoping The Enchanted Way and Ballroom of Romance end up on iTunes when the physical album is released.

Megan fits in really, really well.

I remember they did Ancient Land, Homeland, Sive, Long Journey Home, Tara's Tunes, and Going Home on tour this year.

I just now listened to it fully, and I have the following to say about it:

I like it very much, but I still have some mixed feelings about it. I actually liked it more when just listening to bits of the songs, rather than the whole album. Not that I don't like it - it's one of their best albums of the last years. Some of the songs are exceptionally beautiful, especially Women of Ireland and Ae Fond Kiss. The songs are very traditional, very little pop, which is a great plus in my opinion, and the line up fits together very, very well. Megan sounds as though she'd been with the group for years, and all performers have very equal positions, nobody taking over the "leading" role. The album is very balanced, almost too balanced, as the arrangements blend with each other beautifully, but a little bit too smoothly. There is no real highlight, no real vibrance or power or joy throughout the entire album. That's my only complaint and that's been my complaint ever since David Downes left. Gavin Murphy is very skilled and I don't want to talk badly about him, but he doesn't have, well, whatever it is that Downes has. The music of Celtic Woman has matured, it is sleeker, smoother, and more controlled than its ever been. It's not very characteristic anymore, which is mentioned often by other fans, and usually - sadly, and incorrectly! - blamed on the new women. I've always been open to changes in the group, and I day say, it's usually much easier for a fan to deal with the change of a man behind the scenes, rather than the women on stage, but while I admire Murphy's arrangements and compositions for Celtic Woman as beautiful pieces of music, they never really clicked with me the way Celtic Woman usually did and should do. This album is a big improvement from Destiny, which was very good, but also unelegant (I'm not really counting Voices of Angels and Homecoming, since those are basically best ofs with a few new songs) but it still has its, for the lack of a better word, exhaustion. It's not as intense or powerful as Celtic Woman used to be, and I would like to mention, that I don't mean this in regards to the speed or volume of the songs. Its something beyond the actual music that I can't really describe. The instruments are very well-arranged, and the choir is beautiful. I also like how Megan's voice filled a sort of gap between Éabha and Mairéad's voices, in terms of range and volume, which gave the vocals on the group songs a lot of body and depth. Doing new versions of fiddle solos as vocal songs was a very nice idea, which already worked very well with In the Bleak Midwinter. I already mentioned Women of Ireland, but I would like to say again that I really love that song, always wanted them to sing it, and very much like their version - the arrangement is lovely, and surprisingly unusual, considering my complaint about Murphy's style just a few lines above. It's definitely his best arrangement in my opinion so far. That, and Moonlough Shore, which also had very good instrumentals. My favourite solos, respectively, were Ae Fond Kiss,, Moonlough Shore, Shenandoah and Love & Honor, my favourite group songs, aside from the one I've mentioned twice, were Going Home, Long Journey Home, and Be Still. The weakest song, in my opinion, was Homeland. Aside from the Christmas albums, which are very dear to me, I'd say this is my third favourite album, after A New Journey and Celtic Woman. It's a very calming album, a very - a funny word for music - elegant. And the group sounds incredible together!

I don't feel like exhaustion's the right word, but I don't know what I would substitute for it. I think that was a better word for this year's tour, with so few new songs. Murphy's arrangements are a lot more, er, traditional and plain than David's were. They don't have that tightness and uniqueness.

Yes, it's a bad word. I guess what I mean is that... everything is as good as before, in matters of quality. The voices are beautiful, so are the instruments, the songs chosen, everything. Gavin Murphy is a very skilled musician. And yet, ever since David Downes left and he took his place, something sounds different, and I can't say "this or that is wrong" because nothing of that sort really is. It's not even that they are plain - some of David's songs are arranged in an almost minimalistic way, and some of Gavin Murphy's have a big orchestra and some really unusual sounds and ideas in between. They are amazingly good, there are some of his arrangements that I even prefer over David's. And yet, something very often feels somehow "off." As though some kind of special energy and intensity was lacking, but not in how fast or loud of full the music is. It's like David Downes always put a melody beneath the one we actually hear, some sound of hidden power that makes them what they are, while Gavin Murphy's music simply is the music it is. Ancient Land is the first album to somehow break out of this, with Long Journey Home, for example. But it's only now touching the surface. Destiny had very good songs and arrangements, but it was at the same time underwhelmingly flat and jolty. Voices of Angels (and Homecoming) was very polished and elegant, and mature, every sound matching the one before. Some of the new arrangements of older songs - like Mo Ghile Mear or Dúlaman - are good example of what I mean: they are even faster and louder, and more complex than the original arrangements, absolutely gorgeous, too, and fitting the songs very well, but at the same time they feel somehow less energized, less lively. It doesn't make sense, but that's what I feel. Another thing I feel is that David Downes basically "tailored" the songs to fit the singers (and the fiddler) while Gavin Murphy does the opposite, making the performers - who are doing their best - adjust to the arrangements he makes. Of course, that's only speculation, based on my impression, since I don't know what's going on inside their heads and really don't want to make any sort of insinuation.

That's an excellent way to put it! Yes, yes, yes I agree 100%. Like you said, this is all speculation, but I feel like Gavin Murphy hears an arrangement in his head, but not with the performers' specific voices in mind. David definitely tailored the music to the voices.

I'm listening to the album again but on shuffle this time to see if it makes it helps.

ETA: Shuffle helps a lot. Listen to it out of order!

This is funny, because I've had a similar experience - before I actually got around listening to the whole album, I listened to the songs randomly on my mp3 player, out of curiousity. It didn't feel as flat then. On the other hand, I got to say, that I always prefer the live recoridngs of CW of the studio ones and I am very excited about the dvd!

It's grown on me a *lot*. I love it now!

Hmm I know this may not be the most popular post but it’s just my thoughts on the new cd! I have some mixed feeling on it. I love faster paced music as I’m a runner/ fast walker, so this is a slower cd. That being said I love slower songs to bring my mood level and what not and this is a perfect cd for that and even more special that all the songs are new and some are written by eabha and Meav! I love the ancient land song, homecoming, dive and my fave is follow me (would love to know the lyrics as can understand and make out some but had no time to translate!). I will post and let everyone know once I do! They could have easily added somewhere over the rainbow and Murphy’s ballroom of romance and it would have been perfect!! But this was just my thought and I am sure I will love the whole cd just like the other Celtic woman cds!! And hope to go to Akron and see them
Next year or even better hopefully they come to clevelabd fingers crossed! Can’t wait!
On an interesting side note... someone had videoed and posted the whole night one of the taping on YouTube. Not the best quality by a long shot! But from what I saw of it, it looks like it’s going to be amazing when the dvd comes out! But 2 things though... one it looks like they were nervous (not so much Megan or Tara) but also a mix of maybe being cold too?? And 2. The stage seems small. They looked cozy up their though! And I noticed a time or two in the video that eabha’s foot might have slipped off the stage, but she made it look like it was supposed to happen!! Still amazing though and can’t wait! Ok just listens to more and forgot to say loved Tara’s tune and mna na eireinn!

The stage was damp both nights, especially on the second night. It was pretty cold both nights. Megan was a little nervous on the first night but she handled it and powered through it so well. I think all the girls were nervous, but both shows were really, really good!

Yeah, a few of the tapdancers slipped and nearly fell down on night #2. Tara tripped on one of the steps, probably because part of her dress got wet and dragged on the steps a little.

Mairead Carlin seemed the most comfortable. She was cracking jokes with the audience both nights, especially night #2.

Megan was so adorable. Between takes /resets they would sometimes relay instructions to the girls. Megan was on the extended wing of the stage closest to me and during one of the resets, she got some instructions, nodded a bit, and looked like she was a little disappointed with herself. The stage director reached out to hold Megan's hand for a moment to give her some confidence. They missed each others' hands a few times (Megan was probably a bit nervous and probably really cold as well). The stage director held Megan's hand for a moment as if to re-assure her she was doing great. Megan seemed to appreciate that. That moment reminded me of Eabha's debut during Celtic Woman: Destiny, when Mairead Carlin grabbed Eabha's hand (unscripted) to share some strength.

During the songs, Megan looked great! Her dancing looked graceful, her voice didn't sound shaky at all. She did really well!

Eabha seemed really nervous on the Homecoming DVD, but seemed far more comfortable and confident at the castle.

This is unrelated to the reviews / thoughts above but I have to say something:

Celtic Woman needs our help. Let's do everything we possibly can to promote the album and the tour.

Certainly tell all your friends and family and ask them to help spread the word.

But maybe we need to brainstorm about what else we can do to help them get the word out.

Whatever ideas we've got, now is the time.

Thanks in advance.

Is there some reason you believe additional help is necessary? Or is this just being a supportive fan?

I mean, I'll still play their music loud and proud with the windows down either way!

The digital album had the lowest debut in the World Albums chart of any Celtic Woman except for a few of their Christmas EPs.

The hope is that people are just waiting to get the physical CD and it will have a huge surge the first time the CD sales hit the charts (for an October 26 release, most likely those will impact the charts on November 1 or 8). The digital album is only available in North America too, as far as I know, so there a lots of fans out there having to wait for the CD, which isn't released yet.

I was kind of expecting the sales to be really divided between the digial and physical album releases, but I wasn't expecting it to hurt the chart debut as much as it did.

The album may still end up doing well chart-wise (and more importantly for Celtic Woman, revenue-wise). Maybe it will be a late bloomer. But for most albums, the debut week is the peak week. A concern with it not debuting anywhere near the top is that it will have a snowball effect on sales in subsequent weeks. People that just look at the charts planning to get something that's doing well will be much less likely to get it and less likely to tell their friends and family about it. Even casual fans might look at where it debuted and say to themselves "I guess it's just not the same anymore, maybe I'll skip this one."

I was pretty concerned before Destiny released because I didn't know how fans were going to react to the new sound. Destiny ended up debuting at #1 though. Ancient Land did not come anywhere close to that.

Maybe I'm just concerned over nothing, but I've got a bad feeling that they're going to really need our help on this one. I love them way too much to take any chances with this.

Ah... Gotcha! I didn't know that. I can say that I myself have decided to wait until the physical cd comes out. I love playing them in my car. I also prefer having all the available songs. That's why I usually get the deluxe or extended editions.

I really hope Ancient Land does good for Celtic Woman! It's the best CW cd since Believe! Emerald, Destiny, and VOA were good, but this one is so amazing! I love the songs I'm hearing so far.

I'll post my own review after I get the cd.

I also waited for the CD.  :'(

I listen to it on Spotify a lot, but I don't think that counts towards Billboard's charts.

Which is part of the reason I feel so bad about this and want to try even harder to help them out now. One digital album purchase wouldn't have made much difference. But thousands of people thinking the same way might have.

In case anyone's wondering the album debuted at #8.  :'(

I don't know if the girls know or not.

The sales numbers of BTS are going to be hard to overcome, so short of a minor miracle, I'd be pretty surprised at this stage if the CD release peaks into the top 3. But I really hope it does well. The girls and their team deserve to be #1. Let's do whatever we can to get them there.

Well if you weren't scared before...

This week Ancient Land dropped off the World Albums chart.

In its second week. :o

(https://media1.tenor.com/images/7eb390b1d50aa69140dc5df0c3048df2/tenor.gif?itemid=4802333)


So one way to look at this is that most people are waiting for the album (or didn't know there was a digital release in advance) AND that almost everyone that was interested in the digital album got it immediately.

But even if that's the case, it essentially means that almost everyone getting the album are existing fans that are following them closely.

It would be such a shame if there just isn't enough interest out there, because this album is amazing and I love Celtic Woman now as much as I ever did. <3

I think the sales will be much better during and after the airing of the PBS special...

Don't forget that the official release date isn't until the 26th according to celticwoman.com!

So it's officially out now.

Has anyone found The Enchanted Way or Ballroom of Romance anywhere? I'm hoping the files end up for purchase on Itunes or Amazon soon.

I just received my CD, pre-ordered from Amazon today.  Tracks 17 and 18 are The Enchanted Way and Ballroom of Romance. :)

They aren't on the mp3 version on Amazon. I can't find them anywhere digitally.

They're CD exclusives. That's consistent with what they've done with other recent albums and the CD-only tracks from those other recent albums did not have subsequent digital releases.

I suspect the same will be true for the ancient land CD-exclusives to encourage people to buy the CD and reward people for doing so.

My Amazon pre-order of Ancient Land arrived today!!!!  :D

I thought the album would be on the french iTunes yesterday, but...

Well, it's not. And I don't know when, or if, it will be available.

From Tara's Facebook page: "Ancient Land has gone straight to number 1 on the US iTunes World Album charts!"

Some of these charts are really weird.

Ancient Land has been on US iTunes for a month. The digital-only album sales debuted on the Billboard chart weeks ago, but it's only debuting on the iTunes chart now? Did iTunes include all the sales from the past month in the opening total?

My awesome 15 year old neighbor, Sasha, who I pick up from school every afternoon loves the new CW CD(which I just got today) so it`s "Kazackh approved" ;D

Here's the Ancient Land Sizzle Reel!
https://youtu.be/M2W-7N_2-ak

Looks like they might be going with mostly night #2 footage.

In terms of production quality of the sizzle reel itself, it has some of the same shortcomings as the album teaser: it switches away from each song too quickly and the transitions between songs aren't very smooth.

This is going to be fun to watch in a few weeks!

I'm a bit nervous about a few things though...

Firstly, how is seeing it on PBS / DVD going to compare to being there live? It'll bring back some great memories, but being there was a special experience we'll likely never have again. It's going to be awesome to watch again, but I don't think it could ever feel as special as those two nights we were there live.

That fog could really wash out the castle in some of those shots. It looked pretty cool live. Hopefully that will translate to the TV screen though. I was kind of expecting there to be a lot of night #1 shots so they didn't have to contend with the fog. I think it's going to look great (fingers crossed). Mairead seemed to love it, so I guess it must have turned out looking (and sounding) great.

It does look like they're going to end the PBS special with Going Home as we suspected. It's definitely the night #2 finale too, which should be super-spectacular!

Now that the critic / pessimist inside me has reacted to it...

... Time to look forward to seeing the most awesome show I have ever witnessed in my life!

It was truly amazing to be there in person while they recorded it and I hope you love it as much as I did when I was there. It was sooooo good!

Received it today, loved it, listening to it for the second time this afternoon.

Funny thing : When the delivery outfit emailed me saying that it was on its way, I thought it waas a scammer (the "you have a package waiting for you, click on that link to know how you can collect it" kind). For once, I was wrong, and glad to be.

I got mine at the local Wal-Mart....they had plenty of them for sale.

No general release date announced yet for the DVD, but if you can buy from the PBS shop, feast your eyes on this!

Ancient Land DVD, available to pre-order now, ships December 5th!

More than a month in advance of the general release, most likely!

And there's still a discount code for Black Friday (not sure how long that will still be available) for 25% off!

https://shop.pbs.org/celtic-woman-ancient-land-dvd/product/CWAL401

Grammy Nominations get released this Wednesday, Dec 5.

My fingers are crossed for Ancient Land and I wish with all my heart that they get nominated and finally win.

The Grammy Nomination announcements got postponed until Dec 7:

http://www.nashcountrydaily.com/2018/11/26/grammy-nominations-to-be-announced-on-dec-7/

I had the very good surprise of finding the DVD in my mailbox today (I was expecting it in march). Haven't put it in the Blu-Ray player for now, but I will watch it today.