Herding Cats

Following their gig as steerage band in mega-blockbuster The Titanic, their acclaimed self-titled debut disc, and a continuous tour throughout North America, the U.K., Japan, and France, Gaelic Storm offer up the enticing reels, boisterous jigs, and sweet melodies of Herding Cats. Beginning with the rousing "Drink the Night Away," the quintet marries fiddle, guitar, accordion, harmonica, and bodhran with the African djembe, the group's signature vocals, and a spirit of merriment. Previously a favored pub band in Santa Monica, California, the ensemble, whose members hail from places as diverse as Ireland, Zambia, England, and the U.S., manages to preserve the intimacy of a small show while infusing the recording with robust zeal and exceptional musicianship. "O-Mahonny's" stars a flamenco-jazz-flavored guitar and accordion intro, while "Hewlett's Set," "Western Lilt," and "Titanic Set" cajole the listener to frolic on the dance floor and "She Was the Prize" evokes starry-eyed romance. --Paige La Grone