 |
|
|
Album Reviews
'Uam' - a treat of musical exploration (September 22, 2009)
Mention Julie Fowlis and you just know you’re in for a treat
of musical exploration built around her Hebridean roots while enveloped in
stunning tunes delivered through striking musicianship. Her new album – ‘Uam’
(‘from me’ in English) does all that and more while glorying in the aural
beauty of the Scottish Gaelic language.
Playing with Julie on this new album are Éamon Doorley
(bouzouki), Tony Byrne (guitar), Duncan Chisholm (fiddle) and Martin O'Neill
(bodhran) with a fine selection of family and friends including Phil
Cunningham, Mary Smith, Eddi Reader, Tom Doorley, Allan MacDonald, Jerry
Douglas, Sharon Shannon, Ewen Vernal and Michelle Fowlis.
The album’s 13 tracks include traditional walking and
working songs, love songs, new tunes plus the odd cautionary tale. The duets
are gorgeous – the bilingual ‘Wind and Rain’ pairs Julie with Eddi Reader,
while on ‘He Dear Ho Dear’ and ‘I Shan’t Marry an Old Man’ Julie joins her
talent with Mary Smith. Other tracks to cherish include ‘The First Step’ - a
great tune composed by Julie and Eamon, and ‘Son of Dougal, son of Ruairidh’
with Highland piper Allan Mac Donald and ‘The Cat and Dog set’.
These songs have a strange ephemeral beauty with an
‘other-world’ feel that listening to native-language songs often create. You
may not understand every word but the still feelings flood through. It’s rather
like a privilege - a glimpse into a secret world that would otherwise be closed
to you. You may not understand it all but what you do comprehend has a magic
all its own.
‘Uam’ is released on 24 October.
Click here to return to the Album Reviews page
Powered by Create
|
|
