Lowlands (album)

Lowlands is an album by Irish folk singer Susan McKeown. The album was released on September 26, 2000, by Celtic music label Green Linnet Records. Billed as the singers' "largest musical project to date," Lowlandsfeatures over twenty-five guest musicians from Ireland, England, the United States, Iceland, Norway, Mali, India, and China. Produced by McKeown and Tony Award-winning composer Jamshied Sharifi, the wide array of guest artists includes Malian griot Mamadou Diabaté, Scottish cellist Johnny Cunningham, American flutist Joanie Madden, and the Irish band Lúnasa.

The tracks on Lowlands draw from a number of sonic influences, including African, Appalachian, Arabic music. Additionally, McKeown re-imagines a number of traditional Irish songs, including "Lord Baker," "Bonny Greenwoodside," and "The Moorlough Shore." The traditional Scottish song "The Dark Haired Girl" was translated into Irish by McKeown.

Upon its release, Lowlands was lauded by music critics from various trade publications, including AllMusic, Billboard, Pulse!, Hot Press, and Green Man Review, among others. In support of the album, McKeown played the 2000 Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, in a line-up including Coldplay, Saint Etienne, and The Dandy Warhols. British music publication Q Magazine later deemed McKeown "the surprise hit of the 2000 festival." The following year she embarked on an international tour of the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland to further support the album.