Fine Thank You Very Much

by Ashley MacIsaac

Overview

Collective eyebrows were raised with the release of 1995's Hi How Are You Today? and its subsequent tour. And in the wake of that album, fans and critics alike awaited the 1998 arrival of the follow-up Fine Thank You Very Much with eager anticipation and wariness, respectively. Although it clearly states "a traditional album" on the cover, suspicions weren't fully quelled until an actual listen took place. After all, MacIsaac could be pulling a fast one. Well, he did and he didn't. Yes, this is a traditional recording that few expected, and no, he didn't engage in false advertising, despite some who felt duped by his change of direction from traditional fiddler on his debut, Close to the Floor, to alternative rocker on Fine Thank You Very Much. This album begins with the three-minute slow air "The Rosebud of Allenville," but after that, MacIsaac shows no signs of slowing down. It's midtempo to uptempo jigs, reels, hornpipes, and strathspeys for the remaining 50-plus minutes. With the exception of John Allan Cameron's aggressive acoustic guitar on "Athole Cummers," this record is all MacIsaac. In addition to his exemplary fiddle playing, he accompanies himself on piano in the unique and oft-alluded-to Cape Breton style. For those expecting more thumbing of the nose by MacIsaac, it should be noted that his eccentricities wouldn't have received nearly the attention they did if he hadn't first established himself as an excellent fiddle player. ~ Dave Sleger

Product Details

Release Date:	11/22/2005
Label:	Linus Entertainment
UPC:	0803057005321
Rank:	127830

Tracks

1. The Rosebud of Allenvale/The Miller of Drone/Dusky Meadow/Neil R. MacDonald
2. The Braes of Elchies /Miss Anderson /The New Yorr /Rothiemurchus Rant/Cullo
3. The Moonlight Clog/Hennessey's Hornpipe Hornpipe/Gin I Had a Bonnie Lass
4. Traditional Strathspey/New Bedford Reel/Pretty Peggy
5. Wilfred's Fiddle/The Harbourview
6. Athole Cummers/Flora MacDonald/Prince Charlie
7. Lord Rothes Strathspey/Traditional Strathspey/The Braes of Tullymet/Tul
8. King George IV/King George V/The Old King's Reel/The King's Reel/Tradit
9. Tam Bain's Lum/The Ladie's Hornpipe
10. Space Available/Buddy MacMaster/The Joys of Mabou Mines/The '38 Ford/Pa
11. Traditional Jig/Traditional Reel
12. Allowa Kirk/Traditional Strathspey/Princess Royal/Douglas Favourite
13. Jerry's Beaver Hat/Catherine MacIssac Wedding Day/Long Point
14. The Devil in the Kitchen

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ashley MacIsaac   Primary Artist
John Allan Cameron   Guitar

Technical Credits

Jerry Holland   Composer
John Campbell   Composer
John Campbelljohn   Composer
Dan R. MacDonald   Composer
Mark Peters   Engineer
J. Scott Skinner   Composer
Donald Angus Beaton   Composer
Allister MacGillivray   Photography
David Andoff   Art Direction,Design
John Pringle   Composer
George Graves   Mastering
Charles Grant   Composer
Robert Petrie   Composer
Derek Shapton   Photography