Whiskey in the Jar

The 52 tracks here on three CDs -- which include rebel songs, songs about the Troubles, drinking songs, traditional folk songs (most notably the famed title track), and sea shanties -- are drawn entirely from the Dubliners' classic 1960s library, all originally recorded and released between 1967 and 1969, and come from live performances as well as studio recordings. The vocals are, of course, the focus of most of their work, but that's not to suggest that the tin whistle, banjo, mandolin, and other instruments brought to the table by the quintet are any less compelling -- anyone who doubts it can check out "The Partin' Glass" on disc two. A handful of jigs and reels, among them "The Fairmoye Lasses and Sporting Paddy," add to the variety of sounds, and the mastering is clean and bright, if not exceptional in any way. The only flaw is the absence of any annotation or credits, but the music speaks well enough for itself to overcome that defect. It's delightful listening, just under two hours in all, from the group's early years of fame, and upon its original release was also one of the best bargains in the Dubliners' CD catalog as well as a great introduction to the group -- although there is obviously no shortage of compilations of the Dubliners' work.