Great Big Sea — Fortune's Favour

Despite the title, there's not a whole lot to favour on Great Big Sea's ninth studio album. They're still likeable guys and good musicians, but I doubt if they'd be sitting on the Newfoundland-appropriate fortune that they now enjoy if this record had come out earlier in their career. Hawksley Workman produced the album and played drums on most of it, but the record doesn't present a radical departure from what you'd expect from GBS. Celtic music purists will get the most out of the more sparse and traditional-sounding songs: "England," "Banks Of Newfoundland," the acoustic "Rocks Of Merasheen" and "Company Of Fools," which is bound to be a live favourite. The tin whistle and reggae rhythm of "Long Lost Love" make it stand out, while "Oh Yeah" is definitely the most rocking song on the disc. "Dance Dance" is appropriately titled, and the album ends on a high note with the up-tempo and energetic "Straight To Hell." Fortune's Favour is by no means a horrible album; it's just that Great Big Sea have done better.

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