Great Big Sea
The Hard And The Easy
Zoe Records

The Hard And The Easy is the eighth release from Great Big Sea, a band that plays traditional Newfoundland folk music with modern-day flair. Great Big Sea is tremendously popular in its native country. The group's albums usually have about half traditional songs and half originals. This time, the band delivers its first full album of traditional and local tunes.

This 12-track CD is full of songs that should be sung by stout-hearted men in a warm pub in the middle of a freezing night. There are tales about whalers, mermaids and horses, each offering a colorful glimpse into Newfoundland's history and spirit. Songs like these aren't learned from the radio, but are passed down from generation to generation. "Old Polina" is one of the numbers that can be traced back to the 1800s. The song came into the Newfoundland tradition when steamships started to dominate the local whaling industry. It's a celebration of sailors.

"The Mermaid" is a comedic song performed with gusto. "I only liked the upper part, I did not like the tail," is one of several memorable lines. Getting away from the ocean, "The River Driver" is a mournful tune from the woods and the lumber camps. The band sings it a cappella. "Tickle Cove Pond" is another century-old tune. It's about a horse-drawn cart that attempts to cross a frozen pond. The horse falls through the ice. In the liner notes, Great Big Sea tells us that they believe the mare survived.

As unlikely as it seems, the band has another horse-in-a-pond song, "Concerning Charlie Horse," on the CD. This time the horse isn't so lucky.

The music is performed with a blend of acoustic instruments, including guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bouzuki, bodhran and accordion. A bonus DVD that features interviews and performances is included. The Hard And The Easy would appeal to anyone who likes old-time music. -- D. Kimura