Few traditional ensembles have received the international acclaim of Lúnasa. For the past 20 years, the Irish group has superimposed a contemporary sonic guise over their Celtic folk compositions. With vivid energy and some big-time technical chops, it seems only natural that they'd cross paths with storied contemporary bluegrass progenitor Tim O'Brien, a founding member of the legendary progressive bluegrass crew Hot Rize. O'Brien's latest album, 2015's Pompadour, finds the songwriter veering further still from his bluegrass roots and embracing his inner pop raconteur on slyly humorous songs. Joining forces with Lúnasa for a run of collaborative dates, O'Brien's masterful songwriting—and surfacing satirical focus—is matched note for note with the instrumental prowess of the Irish quintet in what may (hopefully) be a long-lasting partnership of some of the world's best players. RYAN J. PRADO