8 (1978)

"The Chieftains' second album for Columbia Records was a distinct departure from the pattern of their previous releases in its structure. The opening number, "The Session," is exuberant enough, but for a change the percussion section is relatively restrained throughout, and it's the whistles, pipes and fiddle that drive the piece, for a Bolero-like opening that builds across more than 4 minutes. And then it's off to the gentle, lyrical "Doctor John Hart," featuring harpist Derek Bell, before the group jumps into the boisterous "Seán Sa Cheo." And so it goes, through the rollicking "If I Had Maggie in the Wood," the lush fiddle showcase "The Dogs Among the Bushes," and the gently sentimental "Miss Hamilton," where plucked stringed instruments of all sorts get to generate their prettiest sounds. The mix of tempos, moods, and timbres alternate markedly throughout this, one of the group's more rich and diversely textured albums. There's hardly a moment that's not profoundly beautiful." (Bruce Eder, Allmusic)

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