This is the "serious" side of the Irish Rovers, as it were. Of course, serious is a relative term, considering the irresistible cheerfulness found in these 15 lilts. But, where 1999's The Best of the Irish Rovers focused on their best-known novelties (like "The Unicorn") and drinking songs from their 1968-1971 Decca tenure, this 2000 collection spotlights their political, historical, and more traditional Irish songs. Even when the themes are sober--postfamine emigration, social rebellion, unrest, and protest--the Rovers turn them into musical celebrations of perseverance, integrity, and triumph in the face of adversity. Add to these topical songs a mix of lively dance numbers and light-hearted courting songs, and you have a clear look at the "other side" of the Rovers, one thoroughly steeped in their musical and cultural history. --Marc Greilsamer

On his journeys through six Irish counties, ‘round by the shores of Lough Neagh and over the mountain passes of the Sperrins and the Mournes, Hammond collected songs from shepherds, weavers, cobblers, fishermen, and children. Accompanying himself on guitar, Hammond infuses the songs with modern-day gusto and life, while retaining their traditional airs. Recorded in 1959