Smith’s folksongs celebrate a Celtic legend

Get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with the latest CD from Linda Marie Smith, “Mearra — Selkie from the Sea.” A selkie is a mythical creature straight from Celtic legend that has the ability to transform from a seal into a human. My 7-year-old listener was just as captivated by the idea of a selkie, as he was lulled into a chill state by Smith’s ballads, many of which had the sounds of a Celtic harp, flute, and whistle woven throughout. (If you like Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” from the “Titanic” soundtrack, you’ll enjoy this CD.) The songs on Smith’s album tell the tale of Mearra, the selkie maiden, who enjoys a seven-year-long romance with a fisherman before she must return to the sea. Recommended for listeners ages 9 and above, this lilting lullaby of an album will make you feel luckier than a four-leaf clover that you found an imaginative alternative to the frenzied sound of kids pop music.

“Mearra — Selkie from the Sea” CD by Linda Marie Smith, $15, www.cdbaby.com.