MUSIC REVIEWERS SAY:

Tim Hoke, GREENMAN REVIEWS Indianapolis, IN: 
“As I drove home, I listened to their latest release, Of Labour & Love. After several listenings of previous Four Shillings Short recordings, I was no longer taken off guard by their experiments. Instead of "Huh? What?", my reaction was now "Yes. Very nice." There's another Euro-raga, this time the English song "Ramble Away", but also a segment of an actual Indian piece, "Raga Pahari Dhun". There are several Irish tunes, mostly dance tunes, hewing close to the tradition, along with a Great Lakes shanty, and a 13th century Spanish tune. Contemporary songs are present as well, ranging from funny ("Have A Nice Day"; "You're Not Irish", where Cork-born O'Tuama can be heard adopting a nasal pan-North American accent), to bitter (Jez Lowe's "Spitting Cousins"). Guest musicians are used sparingly, for the most part, and this disc gives the most accurate feel of how the group sounds live. Of course, it wouldn't be a Four Shillings Short recording if it didn't have something unexpected, in this case the childrens' choir on "Common Thread". “ 

David Lilly, Louisville Music News, Louisville, KY: 
“The sunrise of this CD, "Calliope House/Jig of Slurs," greets the listener like a conversation among morning birds. On the heels of that, "Both Sides the Tweed" is a well-done and entertaining song, too. As late morning is hinting at lunchtime we're treated to, "Have a Nice Day," a taste of Four Shillings Short's cynical side. "Heavens Gate" is a good midday tour de force consisting of several tunes quilted together as one, including a 13th century Spanish melody. "Foxhunters Jig" is a knee-bouncer for shy folks and a dancer for the extroverts. Night falls on this disc with an anthem called "Common Thread" that this duo learned at a peace gathering.  Understand that Christy, Aodh Og and their hired help are consummate musicians playing some new and some really old songs, with an Irish denominator. That said, if you're of Celtic heritage or are interested in something off the beaten path, this is an excellent CD to add to your collection.” 

John O’Reagan, Limerick Ireland for Rock ‘N’ Reel Magazine: 
“The intriguingly named Four Shillings Short (as in ...of a picnic) are based in California and are an Irish/American celtic band with a big difference as their musical potshots take in influences everywhere from Indian classical music to Irish traditional idioms via jazz, blues and psychodelia. “Peace In Erin” sounds like Ravi Shankar and the Incredible String Band stranded in Cuil Aodha and “Kelptic Dulaman” anglicizes Donegal beatification of seaweed with Caribbean and Jazz touches and Christy Martin’s Appalachian style vocals. “Julia Delaney” gets a Celtic Jungle treatment and “O Susanna” gets a thorough dusting down. Christy Martin’s “Internet Blues” visits the Chicago Superhighway and adds yet another twist to an eclectic tale. Four Shillings Short are a wild and crazy yet fascinating bunch and Kelptic OddYaSee is alternative neo Celtic folk of the first order.” 

Steve Winick, Dirty Linen: 
“Four Shillings Short is another sort of group entirely, an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink band performing wild and wacky arrangements of Celtic and other music. Their latest escapade, Kelptic OddYaSee, contains folk and folk-rock versions of many traditional standards. As a singer, Aodh Og O’Tuama reminds me of Jimmy Crowley at his most humorous, and Christy Martin, the other singer, is also jocular in tone.” 

Steve Palopoli, Good Times/Santa Cruz: 
“Just a couple listens to Four Shillings Short’s Kelptic OddYaSee and you can tell something very unusual is happening with this band. Namely its that Shillings chieftains Aodh Og O’Tuama and Christy Martin have mixed Celtic traditional with Middle Eastern music, blues, Brazilian jazz and raga and God-knows-what-else. There’s also a gritty rock feel that runs through the music; they see it as a response to the New Age airiness peddled by many traditionalists. “ They’re so Windham Hill-y” Martin says of such bands, “they just don’t go far enough.” Four Shillings Short definitely pushes the traditional envelope; as far as the Celtic end of it goes, it’s like Fairport Convention vs. the Pogues in a fight to the death.”