Rewind

The title, Rewind, could be a hint that to fully appreciate this album's strengths you’ll need to head back to the beginning after the first listen and start all over again. That's because the music, while accomplished, is subtle in its charms. But more likely the name hints at the band's raison d’être – to trace the connections between Irish and French-Canadian traditional music. Co-led by Irish uilleann piper (and solid banjo player) Fiachra O’Regan and Québec fiddler Sophie Lavoie, Fásta also feature guitar from Michael McCague and understated drumming from Jimmy Higgins. Most impressive is O’Regan's stellar piping, so it seems an odd choice to open with a track (‘Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh’) featuring O’Regan as a singer rather than piper. Lavoie's singing, on the other hand, has an almost childlike sweetness, with considerable appeal. Perhaps we’ll hear more of it on Fásta's next recording. This debut will satisfy those who love both Irish and French Canadian tunes, played well and from the heart.