I first came across NeidFyre while talking to a mutual acquaintance online. It was one of those chance happenings - not only did we share a love of Celtic music of all types, but we also happened to live not far away from each other. After meeting the artist, I got a chance to see her in a live performance. I was truly blown away by her vivacity and sheer enjoyment of performing. I had so much fun watching her performance that I immediately bought her album, Duck Feet Waddling, and decided I needed to draw more people's attention to another fine local artist.

NeidFyre, who is primarily Mel Ginsberg-Stevens with occasional guest musicians, first began performing solo in 2002. She's a long-time violinist as well as a singer and both of these aspects are show-cased beautifully on her solo album, Duck Feet Waddling.

The album begins with a uniquely NeidFyre-oriented version of the Christmas Carol, "Here we go a-wassailing" with her own lyrics about...yes...you guessed it...ducks. It's a fun, silly song and the ending is all Mel. You're sure to enjoy it!

One of the other highlights on the album is the song Angus. Sung a cappella, it's full of a wonderful double entendre that's sure to make anyone laugh. Mel's light and clear voice is the perfect complement for this very straight-forward song (it's all about the cloth!). This, in my opinion, is the true brilliance of NeidFyre's performances. A clear soprano voice such as hers often lends a purity to songs that are not quite so pure. If you're not listening, you might miss the fun nature of some of these songs.

Other highlights on the album include the song, Johnny, which has a brilliant ending, and a gorgeous set of reels (Scarce o'Tatties/The Black Nag).

All together this is a very solid album that is sure to be the first of many for this talented artist. She is currently working on her next album, so keep an eye on her website for a release date!

And if you ever do get a chance to see Mel perform in person, by all means GO. You're guaranteed to have a great time! You can find a schedule of her upcoming gigs (mainly around the central NY region) on her website.

NeidFyre can be found on the web at: http://www.neidfyre.com


Buy the album: Duck Feet Waddling