Roses and Tears

by Capercaillie

Overview

Let's just come right out and say it: no band has modernized traditional Celtic music as successfully as Capercaillie, and none has had such a consistent run of top-notch releases. That they've done so over the course of roughly 20 years is nothing short of astounding. On Roses and Tears, as with all of the best of their previous work, that success is down to several equally important factors: Karen Matheson's clear and sweet-timbred voice, one that negotiates what is sometimes treacherously difficult melodic material with no apparent effort; a band that can recast traditional tunes in a modern setting without any sign of condescension and without cutting any musical corners, and a willingness to incorporate modern technology without a second thought, coupled with an unwillingness to use technology just for the sake of sounding "modern." Most of the material on this album is traditional in origin, and there is a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tunes -- with an emphasis on songs, as there should be when one has a voice like Matheson's on tap. The strongest songs are the Gaelic ones, including the trippingly lovely "Turas an Anraidh" and a gorgeous and funky rendition of "Him Bo". If the English-language selections are less effective, it's largely because they tend towards topical material (notably John Martyn's excoriating anti-war song "Don't You Go") that will flatter the sensibilities of most listeners but add little of political substance to the issues at hand and not much of musical substance either. Overall, though, this is an exceptionally fine album and a more than worthy contribution to Capercaillie's distinguished catalog. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	05/06/2008
Label:	COMPASS RECORDS
UPC:	0766397447728

Tracks

1. Him B¿¿ Hug I ¿¿ tha Mi Ann Am ¿¿iginn
2. Turas an ¿¿nraidh /Gheibh Sinn Ribinnean M¿¿ra M¿¿ra [W
3. Don't You Go
4. Hardiman the Fiddler/My Love's Wedding Ring/The Aphrodisiac
5. O Lioba C¿¿ Leathag/Mo Gh¿¿n ¿¿r Sioda
6. Seinneam Cli¿¿ Nam Fear Ur
7. Oran Sugraidh
8. The Quimper Waltz/An Damez Josz
9. Soldier Boy
10. Iain M¿¿r Fada G¿¿bhlach /A'r¿¿can a BH, Againne
11. The Reverend/The Hare's Paw/Old New Year/Rose Cottage
12. Leodhasach an Tir Chein

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Capercaillie   Primary Artist
Charlie McKerron   Fiddle
Karen Matheson   Vocals
Michael McGoldrick   Pipe,Flute,Whistle (Human)
Ewen Vernal   Bass,Vocals
Manus Lunny   Guitar,Vocals,Bouzouki
David "Chimp" Robertson   Percussion

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Paul McGeechan   Engineer
John Martyn   Composer
David Shaw   Composer
Michael McGoldrick   Composer
Grant Milne   Engineer
Capercaillie   Arranger,Producer
David "Chimp" Robertson   Photography
Duncan Ban MacIntyre   Composer
Gilles Le Bigot   Composer
Iain Hutchison   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering