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variants may initially seem a trifle flat, or less rock, folk musicians and dance MCs that by all
immediately memorable, but repeated expo- accounts caused earthquakes, shook buildings
sure yields considerable rewards. and generally turned Brittany upside down/
Instrumental settings are well-judged
inside out. For the evidence I humbly suggest
and continually interesting, with cello sup-
you visit Taran’s MySpace, there is all you need
planting or augmenting concertina or
to know both visual and aural.
melodeon to distinctive effect. As for the Now after much anticipation and mut-
purely instrumental tracks, these arguably tering comes the CD and friends it’s nothing
embody an even greater sense of discovery short of splendid. No exaggeration to say this
than the songs and certainly prove a wholly is the most important recording for electric
accessible diversion for the song specialist Welsh roots since Land Of My Mothers meld-
whose interests are so well accommodated
ed heavy grooves, grungey guitars and Welsh
elsewhere on the disc. Just over half of the
history into one wonderful, heaving whole.
tunes come from the recently discovered mid-
Of course that classic was from the rock side
19th-century manuscript book of the obscure
of the divide and it’s taken far too long, but
William Clarke of Feltwell, Norfolk, and once
here is the answer from the roots side. And
again the duo’s abundantly imaginative
what an answer it is!
approach to scoring, mood and dynamics pays
Photo: Ian Anderson
Twelve individuals contribute: the Kil-
handsome dividends for the listener (Anahata
brides representing both wings, Gerard on
has even added smallpipes to his armoury for
fiddle and Dan on electric guitar, other famil-
the delightfully animated Kempshot Hunt).
iar names such as old lag Jonathan Shorland
Cold Fen gently captivates the listener at
on bombarde, piper Gafin Morgan and the
every turn, for Mary and Anahata audibly rel-
sole Estonian-cum-Welsh vocalist/ hurdy-
ish the discovery and the communication of
gurdy player Sille Ilives, as well as two remix-
these songs and tunes.
ers and seemingly everyone on program-
www.wildgoose.co.uk, via Proper. ming. Planned and executed meticulously,
John Jones
David Kidman
the beginnings of the project spring from an
ancient poem Gododdin and are furthered
Rowan Godel over a dark, brooding back-
throughout the album with each track tip-
drop; One Morning In The Spring trips
ELISABETH VATN
ping the metaphorical hat to various aspects
along over an almost ghostly Seth Lakeman
of Welsh culture and lore.
fiddle; One Night As I Lay On My Bed has a
Piper On The Roof Heilo HCD 7215
Most of the material is trad. arr. but it tinkling harp; and the shanty Fire Marengo
Though there is some slim evidence of bag-
isn’t trad. arr. as we know it Jim; rather, whilst
has an arresting handclappy thing going on
piping in the past, Norway is one of the few
the fiddles, pipes and other ethnic instru-
that knocks Bellowhead’s version into a
countries in Europe that doesn’t really have
ments form the attack, the back line throbs
cocked hat. Jones himself shows his true
bagpipes. But here’s an album by a Norwe-
and pulses with beats and electronics. Layer
worth as a subtly emotive singer on the
gian bagpiper, possibly the first, and a very
after layer of groove and reel build on one
more sparing accompaniments applied to
classy one at that.
another through 11 distinct creations that if
Rocks Of Bawn and the show-stopping
let loose on a regular club night would knack-
piano-accompanied Newlyn Town.
Elisabeth Vatn’s bagpipes are at its heart,
er your average party head. The result is a CD Jones’ own songs have a more overt
but they give and take in a constantly varying
with its feet in what it knows and its head drama, crackling guitar lighting up behind
big-sounding production with a four-man core
way up and out there, pushing towards, Jones on opening track Let Me Fall and the
team of Norway’s top players, from the bands
actively searching for something else. And healing qualities of landscape and the sense of
of Mari Boine, Karl Seglem and others: produc-
dear reader, recordings which do that don’t home, space and spiritual identity at the heart
er Gjermund Silset on bass, guitars, hammered
exactly come along with regularity. of the album is perfectly encapsulated by the
dulcimer, Hammond, synths and more, percus-
sionist Helge Norbakken, Geir Sundstøl on
This is one of those albums that you just
expansive, almost epic Walking Through
pedal, lap and dobro steel guitars, banjo and
have to take without preconceptions and just
Ithonside. Paradoxically he sounds a bit more
harmonica, and ace guitarist Olav Torget.
let it flood into your brain, where it’ll take up
pressurised on his own stuff – particularly Boy
residence forthwith. The Welsh Sound System
In The Window, with its regimented backing
Acquisition of her first bagpipe in Mace-
has arrived. Better news still is the fact Taran
vocals, and Litten Tree, which veers alarmingly
donia in 1993 led to Elisabeth playing and
are gigging this summer and fully intend to
from sensitivity to frenzy. Henry Martin, on the
researching Swedish pipes. She adds long-
cut another disc of their own creations. Wish I
other hand, is a cracking song with a gripping
droned medieval pipes also from the lathe of
had room to say more, but I don’t. Just accept
narrative enhanced to perfection by the dis-
her usual maker, Swedish-resident German
it’s a bit of a monster; I love it to bits.
tant entrance of Francois Deville’s pedal steel.
Alban Faust, and the pleasingly duduk/ ba-wu
sounding Meråker clarinet, a modern version
www.myspace.com/ourspacetaran
Whatever you may have anticipated from a
John Jones solo album, this probably isn’t it.
of Norway’s pastoral clarinet.
Simon Jones He takes chances but mostly he nails it. And he
The opening track is a fanfare, with a walks to gigs as well, you know…
wide airiness of spacious rock pulse and an
www.myspace.com/johnjonesoyster,
uplifting exuberance slightly reminiscent of
JOHN JONES
www.westparkmusic.eu, distributor: Proper.
the glory days of Alan Stivell’s early band. In
largely self-composed music she goes on to
Rising Road Westpark 87179
Colin Irwin
draw on Swedish tradition, quotes from Gali-
No, this doesn’t herald the break-up of Oys-
cian traditional gaita tunes, and inspiration
terband, but it does provide a very different
from Scottish Highland pipe-playing Ameri-
dimension to the man who has fronted them
WENDY STEWART &
can jazzer, the late Rufus Harley Jr. Sámi
these past 30 summers. It’s a surprising album GARY WEST
singer Niko Valkeapää and Norwegian tradi-
for a number of reasons. We all knew he
tional singer Øyonn Groven Myhren con-
Hinterlands Moulincairn MCRCD001
could sing traditional songs. It’s how he start-
tribute vocals in their respective languages
ed and he’s occasionally still done it with Oys-
(the latter to a Norwegian version of Danny
I’ve admired Wendy Stewart’s harp playing
terband so we might have anticipated a mini-
Boy that’s there mainly because of its lyric
ever since hearing her on The Clergy’s Lamen-
malist one man and his melodeon type
line “the pipes are calling”). In the closer, the
tation (Dònal Maguire’s Occasional Band,
approach. In fact it’s not like that at all. A mil-
anthemic Bagcarolle, Sundstøl’s pedal steel
1980). Since the 1980s Wendy Stewart and
lion miles from Oysterband, it is certainly
soars with the pipes. www.grappa.no
piper Gary West have been stalwarts of the
stripped down – and Jones’ voice is right out classic Scottish band Ceolbeg. They have per-
Andrew Cronshaw there at the front of the mix giving it a boldly formed together on numerous CDs, both
vulnerable quality – but with Seth Lakeman, with Ceolbeg and on their own releases.
Benji Kirkpatrick, Dil Davies and Ian Kearey Their long-standing musical association has
TARAN
among those recruited to provided a zestful produced a mutual understanding that is
backdrop, it carries an unexpected urgency clearly audible throughout this exquisitely-
Catraeth Ynys Records ynys001
with some eye-popping arrangements and crafted collection of traditional Scottish
In the midst of accusations flying round the
production values built by Al Scott. music. As individual soloists Wendy and Gary
media of government misspending shed loads Seven of the tracks are traditional and
are world class, but as a duet they achieve a
of cash, it’s cathartic to hear of at least one Jones takes an enlightened, maybe even
rapport that one doesn’t find every day.
decent action that’s come from politicians, controversial, approach to them. Polly On If you think that harp and pipes are an
even if it was last year. Invited by the Welsh The Shore comes with what sounds like an unlikely combination for a musical duo, do
Assembly to create a band for Lorient’s Festival Alan Lomax field recording of American listen to this: the instrumentals in particular
Interceltique 2008, the Kilbride brothers – Dan prison workers behind him; Searching For are outstanding. It is not just their technical
& Gerard – formed a collective from roots, Lambs becomes a smouldering duet with skill, but the warmth of their phrasing: and
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