"The Dawn" sees Baal Tinne further explore the dynamic potential of a mix of some great old traditional Irish tunes and some more recent compositions. While always staying true to their philosophy of remaining respectful of the tradition of the music, this latest album sees them continue to explore other genres, in particular jazz, and have done much experimentation with laying down different rhythms and cadences to the tunes. The resulting album is one of the most powerful, energetic recordings the band has released.

COOK IN THE KITCHEN (Cook in the Kitchen/Frost is all over)(3.52) Cook in the Kitchen is not that common of a tune, so we thought we'd resuscitate it and inject a little aggression into it. Being four years since our last album, it seemed like an appropriate way to start this new one, burning off a little aggression! And the same would go for The Frost Is All Over.

THE RUSTY ANKLE (The Choice Wife/The Rusty Ankle/Monaghan Twig/Wild Irishman)(7:03) Starting off with Noel and Kevin playing The Choice Wife in D, Richard plays his own composition, The Rusty Ankle. It was named for him behind his back by the band after, it is alleged, a rusty surgical plate was removed from his leg after suffering a break playing rugby. The tune then moves into Monaghan Twig in A, to build the tension before breaking into The Wild Irishman.

THE SILVER SPEAR (Silver Spear/Yellow Tinker/Banks of Ilen)(5:06) This is of those well-known tunes that can be played a hundred ways, and believe us, we have. The Yellow Tinker and The Banks of Ilen follow.

AISLINN GHEAL (2:48) Noel plays this in a style evocative of the piper on the cliff. A stirring tune accompanied by Richard and Kevin.

THE WISE MAID (The Wise Maid/Nine Points of Roguery/ Boys of Malin)(6.23) Richard opens this one with a theme that recurs throughout the tune and which we've only ever called La Dum but promise to name one day. Noel and Cathleen lead the melody until Matt, Kevin and Richard push in, grab the tune and shake it up! That's when Nine Points of Roguery starts. Kevin does one of his unique bodhrán solo's and than we're all back in with Boys of Malin.

THE MELTED KETTLE (Close's Jig/Mooncoin Jig)(3:33) This set actually named itself. The night we first played it at Noel's house, we played it so loud that we didn't hear the kettle boiling (we drink an awful lot of tea while playing) and before we realized it, the whistle had blown off and the kettle had melted down. Ruined the kettle but saved us having to come up with a name for the set.

DOWN THE HILL (Down the Hill/Crooked Road)(4:15) Matt kicks off Down the Hill into a bit of a jazzy groove and with an unusual rhythm for the tune. Appropriately enough, it is followed by The Crooked Road.

THE NINE STITCHES (The Nine Stitches/Water under the Keel/Turamoor Polka)(3:27) Opening with a tune composed and played by Noel and dedicated to a certain mishap involving locking himself out of the house and attempting to regain entry via a brick and a window, but ending up via the hospital. The following tune is Water Under The Keel and is by Shaun Davey and is part of The Brendan Voyage Suite (thanks, Shaun!). The final tune is the hectic Turamoor Polka.

PADDY STACK'S HORNPIPE (2:32) Paddy Stack was a Kerryman who ended up in Chicago many years ago, and composed this great little hornpipe. With Matt and Kevin accompanying, Cathleen plays the tune in such an easy-going manner that it sounds like it just wandered onto the album all on its own!

THE PARTING (The Parting/Top it off/The High Reel)(7:34) This is one of our favorites on the album. Noel plays The Parting in D-minor with Matt and Richard backing him in a low groove. The set then turns into Top it Off which rumbles solidly into a jazz piano break off of which we launch The High Reel to end the tune with a punch that would knock out a horse.