by Backroads Music/HeartbeatsThe best Clannad record is now available again. This exceptional album shows to great advantage the many sides of this venerable Irish group, and features the gorgeous choral feast of "Theme from Harry's Game," one of their "hits." Recorded in 1983, Magical Ring includes a half-dozen originals and four traditional tunes, sung in the uniquely majestic and timeless manner of Clannad's lead vocalist, Maire Ni Bhraonain. Slow, yearning pieces alternate with lively folk-inspired ballads, some laced effectively with rock elements, while the hauntingly mesmerizing "Newgrange" is filled with strumming guitars and a low bass-drum rhythm that springs open with the many colors of the rainbow. Magical Ring is bound to become a personal favorite for many.