I was deepley ashamed to find out that Scottish folk music is more popular in Germany than in Scotland. Considering that i come from a line of fairly distingushed Scots folk musicians I am also deepley ashamed that there is not more scottish folk music in my collection. The problems with delving into folk music is that there is a lot of utter tripe, and a certain amount of esoteric knowledge is required to help make any purchasing decision. Then there is the cultural problems caused by the broadcasting goons at BBC Scotland and STV who for years did their utmost to promote arran jerseys and remove any trace of a regonal accent from any folk music that they broadcast.
The wonderfull people at World Music Network are doing their utmost to put right the damage that has been done to Scottish Folk Music with this compilation. They describe this compliation as an ideal starting point for a deeper exploration of one of Europe's strongest living musical traditions and I wholeheartedley agree with themon these points.
The only downpoint on the collection being Wolfstone who were really a second rate Runrig (who were also bloody awful). The rest of it is a fine collection of Reels, Jigs and Laments in English and Scots Gaelic by some of the finest musicans from Scotland. The only point of contention being the inclusion of Ewan Maccoll's Dirty Old Town but since it is a great song and since he could have played for Scotland if he so desired then I will let them away with it.
This compilation completley succeeds in what it intends to do, which is to provide the uninitiated with an insight into Scottish Folk Music. If you are curious or just want a sampler of the best that is on offer than you really can't go wrong with this one and at £7-99 from amazon.co.uk then you can't moan about the price either.
Track Listing
1.Coco/The Road To Benderloch/Fifteen Stubbies To Warragul - Battlefield Band 2. Griogal Cridhe (Beloved Gregor) - Mac-talla 3. Rithill Aill - Karen Matheson 4. Heart And Soul - Wolfstone 5. The Crags Of Ailsa/Staffa's Shore - Alison Kinnaird 6. The Queen Of Argyll - Silly Wizard 7. John Griffin's - Rory Campbell & Malcolm Stitt 8. The Centennial Waltz - Fiddler's Five 9. Good Drying Set - The Tannahill Weavers 10. Tha M'Eudail Is M'Aighear 'S Mo Gradh (My Treasure, My Delight, My Love) - Christine Primrose 11. Dirty Old Town - Ewan MacColl 12. 'S Gann Gunn Dirich Mi Chaoidh - Ossian 13. The Quiet Man/The Solstice/The Silver Spire - Jonny Hardie & Gavin Marwick 14. The Harper/Lady Catherine Ogle - Whirligig 15. The Gathering Storms/The Lowland Of Scotland/Feaden Glan A'Phiobair - Ross Kennedy & Archie McAllister 16. Jack Broke The Prison Door/Donald Blue/Sleep Soond Id Mornin'/Lasses Trust In Providence/Bonnie... - Tom Anderson & Aly Bain 17. Wooden Whale/Leaps & Bounds/Skye Barbeque - Alasdair Fraser 18. The Tree - Capercaillie 19. The Swallow-Tailed Coat/Turf Lodge - John D Burgess
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