Sephira, Listener Album Review

[DiMaSt]

Yay!!! I've been waiting for these girls to have their music on Celtic Radio Two amazing violinists from Ireland, who happen to be sisters - Ruth and Joyce O'Leary. Back later (after work lol) with a review. Love this album.

[DiMaSt]

Sorry girls, it took me a while to get back in here to make some more comments!

This album is such a delight! Listening to all the tracks takes you from peaceful, almost ethereal music to the excitement of a tango, back to their thoughtful arrangements and lyrics – then finishes with another tango. Brilliant work on the violins, and accompanied by some equally brilliant supporting musicians. It’s a satisfying mix of their own original material and covers of songs you may recognize, but the O’Leary girls put their own classical/crossover style of violins and vocals into the arrangements and I love it. The album includes a couple of my favorite songs from the 70’s, “If” and “Love of My Life.”

Tangos? Really? On a Celtic station? Yes, REALLY! These two pieces might be my favorites, along with “Misirlou” (which I’ll get to in a minute.) Listen to the samples if you don’t catch the tunes in the playlist, you may be pleasantly surprised – they’re wonderful.

Sephira’s Reverbnation page (the link is on their website) has some exclusive tracks available for download, including a remake of their version of “El Tango de Roxanne/Libertango” which is FABULOUS!! OK, this is my favorite. They’ve added the guitar work and vocals of Keith Harkin, and upped the energy level. You can also hear and download “Misirlou”, which they performed as part of Michael Londra’s Beyond Celtic production which will air on PBS this fall. I think Joyce and Ruth have found the original meaning and sound of this classic. This is the video link, from Sephira’s youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isWt2mdU22Y

So off you go, give them a listen. Try the samples, request what sounds interesting, visit their website.

[CelticRadio]

angelic, ethereal, haunting – enchanting

This is Sephira, who are sisters Ruth and Joyce O’Leary. These sisters are classically-trained violinists and vocalists who hail from Carrickmacross, Ireland. They mostly worked out of Dublin, but now are stationed in New York City, where they are quickly becoming as popular in the US as they ever were in Ireland. Among their fans you can count Larry Hagman and his wife, Maj, who have the sisters as regular visitors to their home in California, which incidentally is named Heaven. Larry has said the sound of the ladies is exactly like his home’s name...

Read the Full Review on Celtic Radio:

http://www.celticradio.net/php/news.php?item=1012

[DiMaSt]

The girls have just released their Christmas album, 'Starlight'. It is just marvelous. A delightful mix of classics, done Sephira style, and a new original that Joyce and Ruth wrote themelves, 'Beneath A Thousand Stars'. Hopefully they will add it here soon.

http://sephirastarlight.weebly.com/