Our review in Irish Music Magazine:CELTIC CONUNDRUM
The Promise
Own Label, 15 Tracks, 56 Minutes
www.CelticConundrum.com
Celtic Conundrum write their own material that is inspired and informed by the Celtic Diaspora’s shared heritage. Florida based Celtic Conundrum describe their music as what you might have heard from a culturally diverse ship’s crew, the kind of thing Matelots would bring to a quayside tavern.
Theirs is a very modern take on that Diaspora paradigm, with music that is immediate, and visceral, it hits you with percussive guitars and an almost ever-present bodhrán, played old style, on the beat and high toned. Lead vocalist Danny O’Dell has a Dylanesque voice, ideally suited to the polemical twist and turns in such songs as Werever You May Roam (their spelling) and Dublin Town (with its flute solo echoing the wildness of early Jethro Tull). They sing Bobby Sands’ The Voyage, which we know here as Back Home in Derry, injecting it with spite and venom befitting the tale it holds. The strident final track Through The Storm nudges them into the zone of acoustic Celtic-punk, it’s a track delivered with edgy attitude.
Logan Mills plays an impressive range of kit: fiddle cello, flute, drums, accordion and various brands of ethnic percussion. The third member of the trio is called Gene Martinelli, he also sings lead and adds backing vocals, 12 string guitar, electric guitar, banjo and djembe.
There is a Knopfler style electric guitar lick on The Promise Now, and a pair of tracks named after a 19th century shipping line that sailed between New York and Liverpool, called The Three Sisters, the first iteration is served a cappella followed by an almost Arabic The Three Sisters No.2.
Celtic Conundrum’s website list more than a dozen Florida bars in the Celtic circuit.
Clearly this group have a strong following and based on the strength of this album will be a popular addition for Festival goers in the United States.
Seán Laffey
Reviews and Interviews
Listen to us on:
KLCC 89.7 NPR, Eugene, Oregon
LCCR 99.9, Limerick, Ireland
67Music, Portland, Oregon
Scoundrels Inn, Houston,Texas
WOMR 92.1, Provincetown, Massachusetts.
WMTB 89.9 Emmitsburg, Maryland
WXCV 95.3, Lecanto, Florida
Click below
Celtic Conundrum offers a rare mix of musical virtuosity and foot stomping energy in bringing songs and tunes of the Celtic diaspora to life. Their distinctive brand of Celtic fusion is infectious, energizing and just plain fun. They are perfect for a pub, a concert or any size festival as a hard working band putting their own stamp on classic Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. It’s just a bonus that they are the nicest people and so easy to work with.
Michael Lange
President & Director
Mad Gael Productions
Please visit out YouTube channel click here
Check out our EPK on Sonicbids click here
"Clearly this group have a strong following and based on the strength of this album will be a popular addition for Festival goers in the United States."- Irish Music Magazine
."I just got back from the Dunedin Highland Games and Festival and got the pleasure of meeting Celtic conundrum and listen to them. The vocals were incredible, the violinist was so talented and you could clearly see the passion and fun they have with this. 10/10!!! Will definately be recommending them to pubs and places of that sort where I am!!!"
Festivals
Irish Fest Camden, SC
Dunedin Celtic Fest
St Petersburg International Folk Festival
Cocoa Beach Pirate Invasion
Sarasota Highland Games
Southeast Highland Games
Dunedin International Film Fest
Cedar Key Pirate Invasion
Renninger's Steampunk Festival
Celtober Fest Sarasota
Dunedin Highland Games
Treasure Coast Pirate Festival
Fort Myers Pirate Invasion
Lakewood Ranch Celtic Fest
Kings Bay Pirate Fest
more fest being added all the time!
Breweries Pubs and Fine Establishments
Cotee River Brewing
Crumps Landing
3 Keys Brewing and Eatery
Craft Life Brewing
Infusion Brewing
3 Daughters Brewing
In The Loop Brewery
Cage Brewing
Swan Brewery
Marker 48 Brewing
Florida Brewing
Pine Street Pub
McGrath's Irish Ale House
Mary Margaret's Ole Irish Pub
Sam Bond's Garage, Oregon
Brits Pub and Eatery
Kelly's Half Shell
Copper Clover
Jack's London Pub & Grill
Waypoint 6 Geekery
Creative Souls Cafe
Peggy O'Neal's
Pub 32
Lucky Dill
to name a few