Powerful and haunting.  A mixture of French folk, Celtic melodies, and middle Eastern rhythms.  The music sucks you in and refuses to let go.   I listened to it from beginning to end at least four times before changing the CD.
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The McDades Bloom is such a great mixture of genres.  The album doesn't sound like anything else I own and I can't stop listening to it.  I would call them Celtic, but they also sing in French and have an Eastern European vibe.  I guess the best description of The McDades would be that they sound Canadian.  If you like interesting, unique music played by outstanding musicians, then I definitely recommend this album.
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THE McDADES BLOOM (HOT!)

Is this Celtic or Middle Eastern? Wait a minute... aren't The McDades from Alberta? I saw this group stun the Folk Alliance crowd in Nashville a few years ago and today they are even better. A family band with years of experience,
you cannot pigeon-hole them. Their instrumentals start with an Irish flair, but feature jazz like solos and arrangements. The melodies seem influenced by Eastern European style time signatures, often featuring bass solos, and Jeremiah McDade almost cannot contain himself on flutes and whistles. He just explodes. The group has male and female lead singers, good song selection, and they don't copy what they listen to.

Jim Blum
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If you like Celtic music, then you have to check out The McDades latest CD, Bloom, where The McDades take Celtic and francophone folk music to the next level, fusing it with jazz improvisation, Middle Eastern melodies and multi-ethnic percussion.

There is a mix of songs on the CD, from instrumental only, to some sung in English and others sung in French.

The album features virtuoso fiddling ability and terrific vocal harmonies that only a family can have.

Siblings Solon McDade (bass), Jeremiah McDade (woodwinds) and Shannon Johnson (fiddle), who hail from Alberta, are the core of the group. Together, with Francois Taillefer (drums) and Andy Hillhouse (guitar), they're a powerful quintet that pushes the boundaries of traditional music.

The McDades are creating a new brand of music with their multicultural mixed sound that makes them exciting to listen to.

Bloom is the band's second CD, and their talents haven't gone unrecognized. The McDades, Juno-award winners, have also won awards at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and another award at the Independent Music Awards.

The McDades have been performing since they were children. Years of practice have created the virtuoso talent that can be found on Bloom.

-- Kelly-Anne Riess
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