This one arrived just in time to be considered for review this month and it's a good thing because it could very well be the best Christmas album released this year. From County Galway, Dordan is comprised of Mary Bergin on whistles and flute, Dearbhaill Standun on fiddle, Kathleen Loughnane on harp and vocalist/guitarist Martina Goggin. THE NIGHT BEFORE possesses a reverent tone and rightly so, as many of its songs like "Draiocht na bOiche," "Oiche Nollag" and "Don Oiche Ud i mBeithil" center around the events of Christmas eve. Most of this album's selections are of Irish origin either via tradition or Dordan originals. Clever arrangements and unusual twists are applied to the few standards included here like the Gaelic intro to "Silent Night," "Polly in the Holly's" clever juxtaposition of "Deuxieme Sonate" with "Holly in the Ivy" and "Auld Lang Syne" performed as a jig. This is a can't miss for lovers of Irish and Christmas music alike.