Exuding a defiant lyrical passion that calls to mind Midnight Oil, harpist Alan Stivell delivers a folk-flavored declaration of cultural independence for his beloved Brittany (known as Breizh in the native Breton tongue) on this, his 21st recording. A French province where Celtic roots (and separatist ambitions) run deep, Brittany and its legacy of oppression stir Stivell"s soul, and that passion is evocatively, unevenly displayed on Back to Breizh. Creating an ever-changing stew of folk-rock, pop, and Celtic textures, plus a touch of wry trip-hop on "Ceux Qui Sement la Mort" ("Sowing Death on Sea"), Stivell celebrates Brittany"s heritage, its historical defenders and unbowed modern Bretons, whose plight Stivell compares to Inuits, Tibetans, and the Québecois on the disc"s rousing final track, "Armoricaine." Singing in either Breton or French, Stivell plays the role of rabble-rousing troubadour on Back to Breizh while also including three instrumentals. On one, the memorable "Rock Harp," Stivell uses electronic effects to recast his harp into an instrument whose tone resembles a treated electric guitar. Accordions, bagpipes, female vocalese, a scratching DJ--all are part of a typically unpredictable Stivell concoction that may not win him many new fans, but should earn him the admiration of his long-time followers. --Terry Wood