BREABACH - Frenzy Of The Meeting
Private Label BRE005CD
Named for an old piobaireachd, this CD is a little shorter than Breabach's previous recordings, but it's packed with good stuff and feels more up-tempo than some of those other releases. Pipe tunes, fiddle tunes, Gaelic songs and mouth music, waulking rhythms, and several new compositions give Frenzy Of The Meeting a wide appeal. The unsurpassed musicianship of this quintet, their compelling arrangements and their ability to blend instrumentals and vocals in new and exciting ways, make this album a non-stop delight and a definite contender for my 2018 Top Ten. I had some reservations about the lyrics on the two English sings, but even these have grown on me with their LAU-like moods and multi-layered harmonies.
My ancestral home of Eriskay is honoured on Prince's Strand by James Duncan Mackenzie, making full use of the Cinderella instruments in Breabach's arsenal: flute, whistle and James Lindsay's versatile upright bass. Pipes and fiddle soon make their presence felt on Knees Up In Hanoi: and speaking of princesses, Megan Henderson's Gaelic vocals are now a key ingredient of the Breabach sound, putting her at least on a par with vocalists Robertson and MacCrimmon, and marking her as one of the finest singers of her generation. Her delivery of Dòchas Glan Na Fàire is spine-tingling, and her clear voice on the puirt a'beul piece An E Mo Chur Fohad? hardly misses a note. The band's instrumentals are equally impressive: the cheery Western Isle Dance, some heavyweight piping on The Oban Ball, and the growling title track based on a funky fiddle tune. The final Òran Bhràigh Rùsgaich is another stunning song from Megan, beautifully arranged by Breabach, a powerful end to an exceptional CD.
www.breabach.com
Alex Monaghan
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Many CDs we review are available from The Listening Post. Check to see if this CD is available. The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 126 of The Living Tradition magazine. |