Celtic Music: Sean-Nós Nua

In 2002, following an often controversial career, Dublin-based pop singer Sinead O'Connor released Sean Nos Nua, and album of traditional Irish songs. "Sean nos" (literally "old style") is an ornamented style of unaccompanied singing. O'Connor has added instrumentation to her songs, but it's her voice that is the main instrument. She says she's "sexed up" the traditional material a bit.

Personally, I don't follow pop music, so I wasn't very familiar with O'Connor's work. When I began listening to LiveIreland.com I was pleasantly surprised by her traditional material. I especially liked her version of "Lord Franklin," which I'd previously heard by the English group Pentangle. She adds a haunting echo to it. This echo effect is also featured on some of the other songs.