There are plenty of Celtic music compilations out there, but what makes Celtic Tides unusual is its sweeping inclusion of the obvious well-knowns: Clannad, the Chieftains, Altan, Capercaillie--even Scotland's Dougie MacLean and soloist Seamus Egan. In other words, this is a starter kit for sampling the most prominent creators of Celtic music, most of whom were celebrating the heritage before Celtic mania spread throughout the West in the mid-1990s. Certainly other collections feature more traditional, more acoustic Celtic music, but cuts like Old Blind Dogs' "The Birkin Tree" and Clannad's "An Gabhar Bán" satisfy that craving. Dougie Maclean's second cut, "Caledonia," is a smidge on the sentimental side, but this CD's variety is its strongest attraction, at once hushing with a soft lullaby from Mary Black to strutting the hip-hop beats of MacIsaac and Lamond's "Sleepy Maggie." For Celtic lovers already able to pull these artists' CDs from their shelves, this is a yawn; for those dipping toes into Irish Sea waters, a wee gift. --Karen Karleski