AMG Review of Planxty Collection

James Christopher Monger
All Music Guide

This is an excellent sampler that spans Irish legend Planxty's first (and best) four albums. Beginning with "The Jolly Beggar Reel" from the eponymous debut, The Planxty Collection skillfully navigates deft instrumental offerings like "The Hare in the Corn/the Frost Is All Over" and "Denis Murphy's Polka," but spends much of its time displaying the band's peerless ballads and pre-19th century folk songs. Andy Irvine, whose blistering rendition of "The Blacksmith" and deeply affecting lament "As I Roved Out" serve as definite highlights, is the perfect foil to Christy Moore's soft, everyman voice. Moore's "Cliffs of Dooneen" and "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" are gorgeous ballads that revel in their deceptive simplicity. Fans of the genre will undoubtedly already own the individual records, but for the novice, The Planxty Collection is a worthwhile investment and a prime entry point into the world of traditional Irish music.