by Phil Hall

Artist: Capercaillie
Album: "Choice Language"
Year produced: 2003

Here's something you don't hear that frequently: Celtic-style muzak. Capercaillie titled this release "Choice Language," but one can't help and wonder if any other choices are available. None of the 12 selections rise to anything resembling a memorable song. In fact, the only way the tracks can be differentiated is that some are in English and some are in Gaelic.

Vocalist Karen Matheson has a clear and lilting phrasing, but there's no passion or feeling in anything she puts forth. At times, she is so bland that it feels she's singing phonetically. A protest tune "Who Will Raise Their Voice?" comes out with such a tedious and unconvincing interpretation that it feels as if she is some degree of musical disobedience for being coerced to perform against her will. "I Will Set My Ship in Order" is meant to be a tribute to Ossian's Tony Cuffe and George Jackson, but her singing is so tepid that it feels more like an insult than a tribute.

Throughout "Choice Language," Capercaillie pollutes the tracks with a watered down concept of Celtic music that frequently sounds like bad New Age or bland lite jazz. The occasional groan of pipes and whistles remind the listener of the Celtic roots, but even then long stretches of musical monotony flows before those reassuring sounds turn up. It's not impossible for the mind to wander while the songs play - these tunes barely register or catch the fancy. If someone were to pipe Celtic music into elevators, this would be on the playlist.


   Buy the Album: "Choice Language"

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Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Phil Hall is contributing editor for Film Threat, book editor for the New York Resident, author of "The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies" (MWP Books) and a proud child of Wales.