Author Leagues O'Toole has written that the album "crystallises the 1972 set" performed live by the band during their first year of touring.

[2]: 129 The album features a variety of traditional and modern Irish folk songs and tunes.

The last track revealed the impact of Balkan folk music on mandolinist Andy Irvine.

The traditional song "The Blacksmith" concludes with Irvine playing "Blacksmithereens", a tune reflecting the influences he gathered during his travels in Eastern Europe.

Recordings completed during the sessions but excluded from the album were new versions of the singles "Three Drunken Maidens" and "The Cliffs of Dooneen", as well as "When First unto this Country" (sung by Lunny) and the traditional Southern Appalachian song "Down In The Valley" featuring all members of the band, including O'Flynn on vocal harmonies.