i've been listening to Clannad for over a decade and have purchased every one of their albums to date. i'd have to say that Macalla is my favorite. over the years i've seen the group try out many formats from pop to folk festival and this one epitomizes their best unique sound: "beautifully haunting" would describe most of the melodies on this collection-- the harmonies are tight and the lyrics are moving. there's nothing "dated" about the musical styles expressed on this collection, and the engineering done on it was superb. if you're a Clannad fan, this one's a must.

I had heard of Clannad but was not aware of the quality of the work the group produces. This was the first of their CDs I bought and I have been a firm fan ever since. For the most part Maire Brennan dominates the voices when she is taking part. I enjoy her tones and so now buy her solo efforts as well.

This is the Clannad disc I play the most frequenly. The songs, those sung in Irish particularly, have the sometimes ethereal quality I associate with the group.

Got this "LP" (yeah, remember vinyl? ) as a gift. I have since purchased it in CD. Up to that point I had never heard of them. I was mesmerized by the freshness of the sound, the murky yet ethereal lushness of the harmony, the totally unique sound and feel. I have since purchased most all subsequent releases. Maybe because it was my first exposure to them, maybe because it was a little less formulated, this release remains the standard that I compare them to. Subsequent endeavores have been worthy and welcome additions to my collection, but they somehow have not matched the impact of this collection... as such I consider "Macalla" a Clannad "must have"...

This was my first Clannad album and I think it makes an excellent introduction to both the band and celtic music. It starts with the haunting and erie sound (Caislean Oir) that celtic music is rightfully famous for. And later shows it's happy side with Journey's At An End. All together a fine album

This album originally came out in 1985. I wasn't familiar with Clannad at the time, yet I sought out a copy because I was a huge U2 fan, and Bono provided guest vocals on the track, "In A Lifetime." Needless to say, I loved the entire record, and I've collected most of Clannad's CDs since. Some are better than this offering and some are less interesting. But this album will always be my favorite.

Gaelic for the word echo, "Macalla" showcases the band's beautiful harmonies over a series of ten great compositions, all written by members of the band. They were still a five-piece then, and every member contributed songs. So, it was truly a family affair. The opening track, "Caislean Oir," is a powerful sister-track to "Theme from Harry's Game" from the "Magical Ring" album.

This CD contains the original recording remastered, liner notes, some nice pictures, and a bonus track of the Planet Heaven Mix of "Caislean Oir."