Celtic Renaissance Music Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales Artist: Brobdingnagian Bards Produced by: Andrew McKee and Marc Gunn Reviewed by Melissa Minners            Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Austin, Texas), there lived a musician and a computer geek.  The musician wanted to be a rock star.  The computer geek…well, he was busy doing whatever it is that computer geeks do.  Then, one day, the musician’s rock band was no more and the musician, known to all as Marc Gunn, decided to learn how to play the autoharp.  Knowing that his computer geek friend - otherwise known as Andrew McKee - also dabbled with musical instruments, Gunn decided to ask McKee to join him in his endeavor to create a musical album.  Unfortunately, the album idea never panned out.  But a short time afterward, Gunn was invited to play at a Renaissance Festival.  He invited McKee to join him and they became the Brobdingnagian Bards.              Since that fateful day, the two have been inseparable.  Marc Gunn is primarily an Irish and Scottish folk singer who brings a unique quality to the genre.  Andrew McKee taught himself how to play the mandolin, and adds his talent in vocals and recorder to the mix.  The music of the Bards is unique.  Sure, they perform classic Irish and Scottish folk songs, but they have taken other songs and set them to the folk song genre.              Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales is the title of the Brobdignagian Bards latest album.  The album features 18 tracks and contains both classic folks songs and new creations.  Classics include The Orange and the Green, a story of a young man whose father is Protestant and whose mother is Catholic, Old Dun Cow, a drinking song, and Bog Down in the Valley, a traditional folk song with a humorous twist by the Bards.  Other Bard creations include: Angel’s Lament, a song inspired by the television show Angel and set to the tune of the alternative rock song How’s It Gonna Be, Jedi Drinking Song which tells the tale of a would-be Jedi with a Brobdingnagian twist, Exclamations, a parody of the song Interjections from School House Rock, and If I Had A Million Ducats, a Brobdingnagian twist on the song If I Had A Million Dollars.  Also included, are unique renditions of Santa Lucia and the Monster Mash.             Fans of Celtic Renaissance Music will enjoy Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales for its music as well as its lyrics.  Folks who normally wouldn’t listen to music in this genre will definitely get a chuckle out of the lyrics such as: “How'm I gonna eat, when Buffy no longer loves me / How'm I gonna eat, when the writers kill me / How'm I gonna eat, when the Goth scene's too depressing / Will I be like Mr. T, in a spinoff series, how'm I gonna eat” from Angel’s Lament or “A long time ago, in a pub far away / I sat on a barstool, just drinking away, / I couldn't hold it down, I guess I had too much / I felt a tremor in the force and then I lost my lunch / I woke up in a desert land, feeling hot and sick, / I saw a bearded man, he looked like some kind of hick, / He slowly waved his hand, and my pain was gone / He said let's go see Yoda, and I'll teach you this song.” from Jedi Drinking Song.              Every track of Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales is loaded with fun.  Even the Bards themselves appear to be having fun, as witnessed in the live tracks If I Had A Million Ducats and Bog Down in the Valley.  If you’re a fan of Celtic Renaissance Music and are looking for a rollicking good time, this CD is for you!       For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.