Bagrock To The Masses - Red Hot Chilli Pipers

===What Is It?===
"Bagrock To The Masses" is the second album by the highly successful Scottish band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. This CD is unlike any other where it has a mix of about 3 different music genres, into one. Possibly the most unique band I have ever heard of!

===About The Band===
I first heard of the band on Graham Nortons show "When Will I Be Famous" on BBC 1. The band won, probibly because ...
...bought their first album. Their band consists of 8 musicians all playing either bagpipes, drums or guitar in away that has really never been played before. They are all highly qualified however, the Snare Drum player won 'Young Traditional Musician of the Year' and most of the band are graduates from the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music.
HRH The Princess Royal, Ewan McGregor, Phil Collins and The Darkness are known to be big fans of the band, ... more

What Is It?

"Bagrock To The Masses" is the second album by the highly successful Scottish band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. This CD is unlike any other where it has a mix of about 3 different music genres, into one. Possibly the most unique band I have ever heard of!

About The Band

I first heard of the band on Graham Nortons show "When Will I Be Famous" on BBC 1. The band won, probibly because they are so unique and I wasn't surprised, so I bought their first album. Their band consists of 8 musicians all playing either bagpipes, drums or guitar in away that has really never been played before. They are all highly qualified however, the Snare Drum player won 'Young Traditional Musician of the Year' and most of the band are graduates from the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music.
HRH The Princess Royal, Ewan McGregor, Phil Collins and The Darkness are known to be big fans of the band, Ewan MacGregor even booking them for his Burns Night Supper in London. Their music has been featured in the Darkness album "One Way Ticket to Hell and Back" and even in one of the Harry Potter movies! So they are becoming highly successful and rising becoming even more popular in America and behond.
They have been performing everywhere in the world from China, to the USA and more at home to T In The Park. Tickets are in demand so if you want to see them in gigs book early.

CD Album Cover

The CD cover is a bright red color, which is a continued theme. In bold white letters is "RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS" with people playing the pipes in the backround and a crowd at the bottom. On the back it has a picture of them on "When Will I Be Famous" and explaining a bit about them and also a tracklist. A very attractive and modern cover which will appeal to a lot of people.

Genre Of Music

In the CD cover, the genre is being called "JOCK AND ROLL" which I think is brilliant. Basically their music is the bagpipes but with a rock ballad mixed in, with a twist of scottish traditional music. It doesn't really seem possible but it is true they really have created a new genre of music and believe me it sounds incredible!

Tracklist

1. We Will Rock You/Eye Of The Tiger/The Clumsy Lover (A brilliant, and possibly their best song on the album using a combination of drums and pipes!)
2. You're The Voice/Chilli Time
3. Smoke On Water/Thunderstruck/Upside Down at Eden Court
4. Celtic Bolero
5. Jazz Badger
6. Flower Of Scotland
7. Getting Jiggy with it - The Pig Jigs
8. In The Groove - Groovy 4/4's
9. 100 Chilli Pipers/Rockin' All Over The World (Status Quo)
10. The Dark Island
11. Hey Jude/The Mason's Apron
12. The Lost
13. The Hills Of Argyll
14. Voodoo Child
15. Clocks (Coldplay) (This is the best tribute to this song I have ever heard)
16. Auld Lang Syne (A Wee Bonus Track, As They Call It!)

Quality Of Songs

Wow! I was blown away on how crisp and clear each note is and how well it sounds, even though it is on CD. It sounded incredible, I really can't praise how good each track sounded. Each track goes straight onto the next one so you sometimes don't even notice there is the next track is on which is really good. Each instrument is heard well and even though it has no vocals, you can hear them once in a while cheering on the song giving it that extra something.

Favourite Song

Having heard the album a couple of times, it is hard to say which one is my favourite as it is a close on between 'Clocks' or 'We Will Rock You'. Their incredible version of Coldplays 'Clocks' song is simply breathtaking and so catchy, that you would want to listen to it again. Then there is Queens 'We Will Rock You' which again is simply amazing and that was the winning song that won them 'When Will I Be Famous' and I can see why.

Price/Where To Get It

I bought mine from a small Scottish shop outside Edinburgh castle but it can be bought in all good shops in Scotland, and some in England. I'[ve seen them in HMV under the rock music section which is a little unusual as you never really see the bagpipes under that bit! You can buy them from the web from Amazon, HMV, Play.com etc so have a look out.
I bought my CD for £8.99 which I thought was a very good price. Other retailers are offering it for under a fiver which is a really good price for what you are getting.

What's Right With It?

I have always loved Scottish music, and this is Scottish music to the edge. With its rock ballads mixed with the bagpipes, it is unusual and unique. This is brilliant for anyone who loves Scottish music out there. Also this would be fantastic for rock loving jocks!

What's Wrong With It?

Possibly not for people who like Jock and Roll music...

Conclusion

Fantastic CD, had myself an my friends boogeying in the living room for a while. I have said this a lot in this review, they are very unique and I am very impressed. If you want something that little bit different then I would buy this CD.

Excellent songs, excellent musicians and of course excellent price.

Janie x

P.S. Heres a video of them playing one of their songs, please have a look, you will enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwrvHnYpwkk

©Scotlandizdabest 

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