From a review in Lucid Culture
Since summer has made its ferocious entrance, it's time for party music. It's too hot to think about anything serious here in New York except for how good it would feel to be in an airconditioned pub with a pint of Guinness and maybe something like what Cady Finlayson and Vita Tanga have put together here. Finlayson

From a review in Lucid Culture
Since summer has made its ferocious entrance, it's time for party music. It's too hot to think about anything serious here in New York except for how good it would feel to be in an airconditioned pub with a pint of Guinness and maybe something like what Cady Finlayson and Vita Tanga have put together here. Finlayson (her first name is pronounced "caddy" like the car) plays five-string fiddle; Tanga plays acoustic, electric and "percussive" guitar, meaning that he mutes the strings of his electric and then and beats out a simple rhythm on them. This album has the feel of a demo put together to show interested publicans what the duo are capable of onstage, but it also makes a good listen for anyone who loves the diversity and emotional resonance of traditional Irish fiddle music.

Over the course of ten brief tracks, the two get a dance groove going, bring it down longingly and wistfully and then back up again. As expected, Finlayson handles the lead lines, with Tanga supplying terse, understated and surprisingly interesting guitar work, especially when he's using his wah pedal. Most of the tracks here clock in at under two minutes, the most interesting one titled March Set, Finlayson taking a long, vibrant break while Tanga keeps the beat going; they wrap up the album with what they call "All Set for St. Pat's," a medley of Wearing of the Green, Sean South and Pumpkin's Fancy, the latter with almost a reggae groove emanating from the wah-wah guitar pedal. It's nothing if not imaginative, offering the impression that their live show is good craic. New York is jampacked with first-class Irish musicians: count Cady Finlayson and Vita Tanga among them.

cross posted from Lucid Culture