The Pirates of New Providence's "Down Among the Dead Men" demonstrates quite an ambitious effort for a debut album. Basically it has a traditional sound, but with a few twists and surprises, including some very unpiratey instrumentations. The musical offerings represent what a pirate ashore might have enjoyed in an evening of entertainment at a local tavern.

Roger the Red's strong voice starts out, and is nicely framed by the female harmonies in the first offering, "Fire Maringo". This song is sung a capella except for the percussion.Guitar joins the drums in "Dead Man's Chest", along with a sprinkling of harp. Harp? In a pirate song? You wouldn't think it could work, but it does. The robust growling and throaty singing of Barracuda d'Morte (the group's director) thrills in the recounting of this tragic tale.

The green "Hills of Connemara" witness the antics of the Irish moonshiners avoiding the excise man. Several instruments & a brisk pace make this a lively piece. Then the singers take turns with each verse in "Down Among the Dead Men", and are backed up by harp and guitar. This old drinking song refers to the empty bottles (dead men) piling up on the floor, as you might well expect in a tavern full of pirates.

The old traditional shanty "Haul Away, Joe" is given a very traditional version, as the singers take turns again with each verse. They "play act" the various personalities mentioned in the song for a good effect.. Despite it's traditional sound, the layering of their harmonies makes it very rich and hearty sounding.

In "Rosen the Beau" the harp, flute and other elements make for a very sweet ballad, though at times the voices don't quite mesh together.

The martial sounds and march-like beat of "Sam's Gone Away" makes this my favorite of the collection. Again, the vocalists take turns with each verse, acting out the various personalities encountered in the song.

The blend of voices used for "The Ballad of Captain Kidd" really works for this ironic and pensive, yet bold piece.

"Nancy Whiskey" has a very traditional sound, with the harp brought a little more to the fore, indulging in some glissandos across the strings. While probably the least roguish sounding of the selections, it has a very robust Irish feel to it.

In "One For the Morning Glory" the pace picks up, a harmonica is very evident, and there is a very nice layering of voices for a lively rendition.

The final piece, "The Parting Glass", is very plaintive and haunting, yet lovely with Iron Bess's strong Celtic voice showcased in this piece, backed up with a light touch on the harp. It reeks of Gaelicness. It is said this was the most popular song in Ireland or Scotland before Robbie Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne. It's a very traditional Irish conclusion for an evening of entertainment.

The only true pirate ballads included are "Captain Kidd" and "Dead Man's Chest". Add in a couple of traditional shanties. The remainder of the pieces are something a sailor might easily have encountered in a portside tavern as he came ashore to squander away his stolen doubloons during an enjoyable evening.

The various vocalists of this co-ed group often take turns with the verses, leading to a variety of sounds and coloring. They are able to layer their harmonies to make for a full tapestry of sound at times. Instrumentation and arrangements on each selection is treated very differently, so each song has a distinct flavor.

Overall, the album is very well produced. There are 31 minutes of music, so maybe not the best musical bargain for your doubloons, but they are very nice and varied minutes of some unique sounds. At CD Baby, http://cdbaby.com/cd/ponewprovidence, you can order the CD for $15.97. You can download the tunes individually or the entire album at www.buy.com.