Serendipity - Stonecircle

Git down to the funky Utah Celtic beat!

Stonecircle is the best Celtic band you've never heard. Based in Utah, the band has gone through numerous personnel changes but manages to retain its unique sound thanks to the continued presence of founder and arranger George Schoemaker. The sound is unlike any other band I know—rich Celtic folk with lyrics inspired by W.B. Yeats and classical mythology, fused together with a sweet soprano. Their 1997 debut album, Serendipity, would please all but the most hardened Celtic music fan. You can listen to tracks or buy albums directly from their Web site, www.stonecirclemusic.com.

Stonecircle advertises itself as a "Celtic music" band, but its influences run the gamut from traditional jigs and reels to Child ballads, Greek mythology, and the poetry of W.B. Yeats. The opening track, a medley of jigs, immediately draws you in. With Schoemaker's compelling 12-string guitar work laying a complex ground for Kelly McKean's fiddle floating and darting above it, the music creates an almost irresistible compulsion to dance. Additional tracks showcase the sizable talents of Todd Capson on the mandolin, Paula Schulte on the flute, Guillaume and Helene LaTour on violin and cello, respectively, and the rather astonishing Doug "You-name-it-I-play-it" Jole.

Lauren Buffington's vocals are wonderfully clear and sweet, unusual (and very pleasing) to hear in folk-style music. Her classically-trained voice lends itself well to the poetic "Cap and Bells," mythic "Persephone's Dream," and Clannad-like sound of "Seven Sleepers," but is never more expressive than in my favorite song on the album, "Down By the Sally Gardens," where it is suffused with a gentle, yet piercing, sense of regret.  The background vocals, arranged by Schoemaker and sung by Stonecircle, are so near-perfect that you may miss them on the first listen. They lend a lush richness of tone to several tracks, including "The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry" and the aforementioned "Sally Gardens."

There are a few problems with the album, primarily the mastering process.  Since this is a struggling new band, I suspect this self-released recording was made on the cheap, and sometimes it sounds that way.  For instance, the flute solo on "Sally Gardens" has some obvious sound distortion. This could probably be cleared up by a judicious mixer or a connection to a recording label, and may not be as big of an issue on future releases.

Overall, I would not be surprised to see Stonecircle make a name for itself far beyond the region of the Intermountain West. If you are fond of Celtic-style music, folk, or just good poetry, I would highly recommend Serendipity.

All material displayed on this website is © 2001-2009 by S. B. Houghton, writing under the alias "The Pirate King." All rights reserved.
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