Hello! This page is part of an opinionated overview of Celtic and British folk music, with record reviews by me, Joe Sixpack... This is not meant to be taken as a "definitive" resource, but rather as a record of some of the music which has caught my interest. I am always looking for more good music to explore, so your comments and suggestions are welcome.
Ewan Maccoll - see artist profile
Kirsty Maccoll - see Ewan Maccoll
Father Sydney MacEwan "The Road To The Isles" (ASV, 1999)
Glasgow's Sydney McEwan followed both the call of the Church and the roar of the crowd, pursuing a professional singing career even as he maintained his priestly status. These recordings, dating from 1935-47, were actually some of the only popular recordings of Gaelic song during the inter- and postwar eras, and although they do have some of the prissy artsong affectations that English tastes imposed on those otherwise unruly Celtic ballads, it must be said that MacEwan had a lovely tenor, and an ease about his singing that transcended the stilted mannerisms picked up from his idol, John McCormack. Not modern in the post folk-boom sense (and not strictly folkloric either, there are several modern tunes on here as well...), but still rather nice. If you want to delve a little further back into the island sound, then this disc might be worth tracking down.
Mairi MacInnes "Orosay" (Greentrax, 2001)
I'm always in favor of folks singing in Gaelic, though I can't say I'm that thrilled with her voice, or with the album's arrangements. I guess there is an unusualness factor here -- the music sounds vaguely more "adult contemporary" and less trad, so the pairing of the "foreign" language and "modern" music is a little new. But again, itŐs how it sounds that matters, and I found that this disc set my hackles on end more often than not. I'll pass.
Talitha MacKenzie "Solas" (Shanachie, 1994)
What a horrible album by this veteran of the Mouth Music band... It's an absolutely horrendous Celtic-pop crossover album, melding mouth music with various brands of ultra-tacky musical arrangements: super-generic house music, tinkly keyboard pop, "funky" lite jazz, swirly New Age synths, embarassingly bad spoken interludes and samples, Latin riffs, etc. It's really just awful. Really, really, really awful. And did I mention it was tacky? Brrrrrrrrrr... it sends shudders down my spine.
Dougie MacLean "Craigie Dhu" (Dunkeld, 1983)
A stalwart of the early-'80s Scottish folk-trad scene, singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean remains popular today, although over the years he has become progressively more of a folk-pop crossover artist. This is one of his best trad-oriented albums, and includes the lovely classic, "Caledonia," which has a truly beautiful melody, and a hauntingly memorable refrain. The song was also anthologized on a recent best-of on the Putumayo label, a record which has too much of his goopy pop material for my liking, but is also probably a lot easier to find.
Dougie MacLean "Riof" (Dunkeld, 1997)
I love MacLean's voice, yet still it must be said this is a pretty sleepy set. Heavy on the sententious singer-songwriter folkie tip, light on the trad. Oh, well.
Dougie MacLean "Live" (Dunkeld/Blix Street, 2000)
A sweet, stripped-down solo acoustic set which, while dipping deep into his singer-songwriter material, sheds the drippy poppish arrangements that make his studio albums so sluggish. MacLean's personal appeal comes through crystal clear, and his light, airy brogue is enough to charm any Scot-o-phile, and his personal asides are quite fun. The songs sound pretty and MacLean's charisma is complete. Nice version of "Caledonia," too, by the way.
Donald MacLellan "The Dusky Meadow" (Rounder, 2003)
A raspy, enduringly authentic set of old-world tunes given a New World lilt, performed by Cape Breton fiddler Donald MacLellan, with accompaniment by pianist Doug MacPhee. The first time I listened to this, I was a little taken aback by MacLellan's more tremulous moments -- there's a palpable sense that this 85-year old fiddler is a little past his prime. The flip side, though, is that you can also tell that he remains a strong stylist and a master of his art; there may be some shaky moments, but this is a fine testament to an artist with deep traditional roots and a complete command of his repertoire. The more you listen to it, the more this will grow on you.
Kevin MacLeod & Alec Finn "Poblain To Oranmore" (Greentrax, 2003)
Alec Finn (of De Dannan) and Kevin MacLeod of the group the Occasionals trade off on various stringed instruments -- bouzouki, mandolin, guitar -- for a fairly understated instrumental set. Didn't knock me out, but it's nice enough and features plenty of very accomplished picking.
Tony MacManus & Alain Genty "Singing Sands" (Compass, 2005)
Instrumental world/soft-jazz duets featuring hotshot Celtic guitarist Tony MacManus and French bassist Alain Genty... This is on the soft side, even a tad goopy, but it's quite listenable and full of motion... Genty has a fondness for Pat Metheny-esque echo, an '80s-ish production technique that some listeners may find off-putting, though overall this is a substantive album, exploring pan-Celtic forms and adding a healthy dose of Balkan and Arabic melodies as well... Not something I necessarily need to revisit, but I did find it quite listenable and lulling... almost even guilty pleasure material. Even if you're averse to easy listening, you might find yourself lulled by this one... And if you do enjoy the softer end of the Celtic folk spectrum, you will love it.
Buddy MacMaster "The Judique Flyer" (Stephen MacDonald, 2000)
Buddy MacMaster "Cape Breton Tradition" (Rounder, 2003)
A craggy-yet-catchy set of old Scottish fiddle tunes from the island of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where an old style of traditional playing has been augmented with various local embellishments and stylistic flourishes. Nearly eighty years old when these sessions were recorded, MacMaster is an acknowledged master of the style, and his bowing is still lively and deft... He's accompanied here by his daughter, Mary Elizabeth MacMaster MacInnis, whose straightforward piano playing keeps pace with his somewhat dazzling violin work. This might not be for everyone -- like many similar albums, this all-instrumental set is largely "for fiddle lovers only," but if you count yourself in that number, then you'll definitley want to check this album out... (The highly-regarded Mr. MacMaster is also, by the way, uncle to the well-known fiddle whiz, Nathalie MacMaster, who counts him as one of her primary influences... )
Finlay MacNeil "Fonn Is Furan: A Tune And A Welcome" (Temple, 1982)
Super-authentic a capella ballads and a bit of piping from the Scottish Highlands. Nice, old-fashioned, rugged material for those who are into the old, old stuff.
Catherine Ann MacPhee "Suil Air Ais: Looking Back" (Greentrax, 2004)
A fine vocal set by Scottish trad singer Catherine Ann MacPhee, whose approach is a bit on the formal side, but who still has a lovely voice. The opening tracks feature the Celtic harp, an airy-sounding instrument which is generally anathema to me, but different sounds take over later on the album... With a drifting guitar behind her, MacPhee is particularly appealing, and while she doesn't quite have the fluidity or magical feel of many of my favorite trad singers, she's still quite nice and undeniably authentic. Worth checking out.
Mac-Talla "Mairidh Gaol Is Ceol : The Gaelic Song Tradition Of Scotland" (Temple, 1994)
A Scots supergroup of sorts, Mac-Talla's members include vocalist Christine Primrose and harpist Alison Kinnaird. The band specializes in sweet vocal tunes; perhaps a bit sugary overall, but thankfully free of the synthesizers and electronic claptrap that has swamped Celtic music in recent years. Produced by Scottish folk super-guru Robin Morton, of Battlefield Band fame.
