Pod

by

Afro Celt Sound System

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If you're put off by the idea of an album composed entirely of remixes of tracks that, in their own right, are more than good enough then think again... because this is really quite different. Conceived as an integrated whole, the Afro Celts take some of their best tracks and along with their guest producers come up with something that's closer to a superb live album than a series of "interesting" studio reworkings. Opening with a brilliantly ecstatic and very different version of "Rise Above" its trick is to sequence these harder, more club & afro beat dominated remixes pretty seamlessly into what becomes not only a genuinely exciting & cohesive record, but one that, if you know nothing about the Afro Celts, you'll be absolutely knocked out by.

The problem of course is that most people considering buying "POD" will already have many of its tracks and, as a result, comparisons become inevitable. But even on this pretty unfair basis it delivers some asbsolutely "must have" gems including, in addition to its quite stunning opener, versions of "Further in Time", "When You're Falling", "Persistence of Memory" & "Whirly 3", that are arguably better than the originals, two excellent "club" remixes of "Release", and the previously unavailable and ridiculously good "Johnny at Sea". Plus... you get a DVD which includes two ingenious and unforgettable music videos of "Persistence of Memory" & "When You're Falling", an excellent Dolby 5.1 remix of "North" with cleverly sequenced graphics, and a compilation of the group's WOMAD USA 2001 concert that really does capture how amazing they were when playing these tracks live.

Good enough then, from either perspective, to justify some of your hard-earned cash and much, much better than you may expect because it is, quite simply, this excellent group's best album to date. And that's saying something.

I am glad the Afro-Celt Sound System decided to revert to their original name after a brief stint (i.e. their last CD) as the Afro-Celts. I have been a big fan of theirs, and own all four previous releases. That is perhaps why I have mixed feelings (pun not intended) about this new CD, with "clubbed-up" versions of their original tunes. They have always been a band that, surprisingly and successfully, has melded Celtic and African song and instrumental traditions, with a techno update. And they know how to keep a groove going. Maybe it's because I appreciate their musicianship more than their dance-ability, but I don't quite understand the reason behind this disc, which sounds like a "greatest hits on Ecstasy". To me, the original tracks had plenty of movement and beat to them, and for the most part I still prefer the originals. This is not to say I dislike the disc; the source material itself makes it still a cut above the average remix compilation. But given the choice, almost without exception, I'd rather listen to the original versions. If you are just introducing yourself to this great band, I suggest that you start with any of their previous releases: Vols. 1 through 3, or "Seed", their fourth CD. (My personal favorite is Vol. 2.) The bonus DVD is interesting, particularly the concert montage video.