The Waterboys have it both ways

[jazzboCR]

They make a superior blend of Celtic folk music and rock. Yes, others mine this vein but I submit: nobody does it with such all-'round skill. Not least they don't drive themes into the ground with bombast--they can back off a bit to let a theme develop itself. Quite admirablel. They've been mentioned on MD before--I thought they were due a fuller write-up. Been in business for 30+ years with numerous changes--but not of purpose, due to founder/driving force, Mike Scott. Funny thing: the current members have bigger solo careers than the band itself. No matter. The Discog: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-water...iscography << Quality music, year after year, through all those years is a tough trick. Mr. Scott has done it. Why they aren't bigger is a mystery to me. "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.". Their Site: http://www.mikescottwaterboys.com/ A Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waterboys

Tunes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VKouBHarIo << Prototypical song for them (or is that "archetypal"? I forget).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN-EmQ4Aa6Y << Brand-y new/ and just for you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOKtfbHlhSw << This such a great song, it deserves a double-play *
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKsaHsCQqXI << concert clip w/ guests << NOTE: it comes on LOUD!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypGsBCSUC7c

BONUS 1: Full album from '85: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TDctt7Nqrw
BONUS 2: Concert in Germany on RockPalast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yyRivE-Pjg

* Van Morrison's tune, this done much later ( originally on his '68 album, Astral Weeks): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XGLoUmeNHg << It's foolish to pick between these versions when you are free to love them both--these are songs, not women.