1 The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
2 Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel
3 Hick's Farewell
4 Shady Grove
5 The Girl I Left Behind
6 Rosc Catha Na Nuimhain/Arkansas Traveller/The Wild Irishman
7 Lambs in the Greenfield
8 The Moonshiner/I'm a Gambler I'm a Rambler
9 Wild Mountain Thyme - The Chieftains, Traditional
10 Chief O'Neill's Hornpipe
11 Bandit of Love/The Cheatin' Waltz - The Chieftains, Carter, Carlene
12 The Squid Jiggin' Ground/Larry O'Gaff - The Chieftains, Traditional
13 Three Little Babies
14 Fisherman's Hornpipe/The Devil's Dream
15 Talk About Suffering/Man of the House - The Chieftains, Traditional
16 The Lily of the West - The Chieftains, Traditional

From Amazon.com

It's great, except.....

 Album Rating: (4 of 5 stars)

Review Comments: THis cd is really great. I enjoy Don WIlliams Wild Mt Thyme very much, but members of my family think it should have went to a woman. Wait...that's the thing that makes this cd not awesome, the women singing tradtional male songs. It seems bothersome, especially Roseann Cash. But all in all, I do love the cd.

Great second set of roots music from "The Plank Road Sessions"

 Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)

Review Comments: Here we go again. This time around, I think the CD is highlighted by one of country's greatest living legends and one of bluegrass music's greatest young acts. That would be "Wild Mountain Thyme" by gentleman Don Williams and "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy" by Nickel Creek. There are some great pipe tunes on this one as well. Once again we have some themes which seem to exude Appalachia whereas others have a "Northerly" feel. Highly recommended.

Chieftains Merge Irish & Bluegrass Influences

 Album Rating: (4 of 5 stars)

Review Comments: This follow-up to 2002's DOWN THE OLD PLANK ROAD doesn't deviate from that album's successful formula of combining traditional Irish music with bluegrass and old timey country music.

Highlights include Tim O'Brien's foot-stomping rendition of "Shady Grove, John Prine's plaintive "The Girl I Left Behind," Ricky Skaggs' "Talk About Suffering/Man of the House" and Nickel Creek's performance of the centuries' old "Raggle Taggle Gypsy."

Several of these songs were not originally recorded for this album. "Fishmerman's Hornpipe/The Devil's Dream," which features the lightning fingers of Doc Watson, was recorded in 1980-81. Four other tracks (9-12) were recorded in 1992, presumably during the sessions for the 1992 release ANOTHER COUNTRY.

Overall, this is a thoroughly satisfying album from Ireland's best ambassadors of Irish music. [Running time 55:06] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Way Down The Old Plank Road

 Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)

Review Comments: Both "Plank Road" CDs are great for fans of Irish/Old Time/Country music.
Highlights on this one, for me, include John Hiatt's version of the Uncle Dave Macon song Jordan is a Hard Road, and Doc Watson with the Chieftains.
The Nickle Creek version of Raggle Tagle Gypsy doesn't do it for me -- I've been spoiled by listening to the Planxty version for years.
All in all a great listen, with an interesting historical connection.

further is better

 Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)

Review Comments: I found the first cd by the chieftains recorded in Nashville to lack a cohesiveness. It also, in my opinion, suffered from the excess of having a 10+ minute instrumental song at the end that seemed to drone on and on. This one "works" better for me and is entertaining and enjoyable from start to finish. An excellent variety of collaborating artists with everything from the country baritone of Don Williams to the beautiful vocal instrument of Emmylou Harris's voice. Highly recommended for Chieftain and country (real country) music fans alike.

I was surprised that there was no mention of the passing of Derek Bell in the liner notes of the cd. Perhaps a tribute to him will be made in an upcoming cd.