Horslips - Book of Invasions - A Celtic Symphony

CD Review – Horslips – Book of Invasions (2007 reissue)


I got a newly issued CD of Horslips – Book of Invasions. Horslips was an  Irish rock band whose heyday was the mid to late 70’s. The new CD is digitally remastered and sounds great. It is called Book of Invasions- A Celtic Symphony. I used to have this on a recorded cassette as a young teen in the 70’s. There are some catchy riffs and melodies and some good hard rockin too and bits and pieces of tradition tunes like Brian Boru’s theme and Toss the Feathers. The CD is loosely based on the Book of Invasions – a 12th century compilation of legends regarding the settling of Ireland where the Fomorians then the Tuatha de Dannan and finally the Sons of Mil or Milesians or Gaels won the island. Here is a quote from the sleeve:


“In the old Ireland there were three principal categories of song, called geantrai, goltrai, and suantrai – the joyous strain, the lamenting strain, and the sleep strain. When Lug was proving himself expert in every art before the Tuatha hierarchy his musical contribution was an immaculate performance of the three strains. Later, after the Second Battle of Moytura, Lug and the Dagda (The Good God) pursue the Formorians who have stolen The Mighty One’s harp. When the instrument is located the Dagda bids it come to him. As it flies to his hands it kills those enemies standing in its path. Then he plays the three strains and when the opposing host are sleeping, from the magic of the suantrai, he departs safely, taking his harp with him.”


There is also about a half hour of added live versions and even an extra tune beyond the original. Several traditional instrumentals are intermingled with the tunes. This is great stuff and I have been cranking it up in the car. Sure occasionally the lyrics get a little cheesy but hey its 70’s progressive rock. Check this out: “Into the flash of the lightning, star riders are hurled. See them bumping and grinding, bareback on the wheels of the world. I can see the dawn a coming, or is that the flash of a spear? .....” Also very good is their CD called the Tain – another Celtic themed fantasy rock epic about the hero Cuchulain.