| Just got the new Capercaillie album, called Delerium. Whilst at times
it seems a little bit Clannad-ish, it tends to have more oommpphh for
the want of a better word.
Highly recommended, especially the Gaelic tracks.
Balders
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| Article 3341 of soc.culture.celtic:
Newsgroups: rec.music.folk,soc.culture.celtic
From: cockburn@system.enet.dec.com (Craig Cockburn)
Subject: Album review - Capercaillie "Delirium"
Reply-To: cockburn@system.enet.dec.com
Delerium : Catalogue number: ZD 75513
1) Rann na Mo/na
Language: Irish Gaelic
Lively tune with atmospheric start. Sounds very like Clannad, I quite
liked the tune once it got going. No translation provided
2) Waiting for the wheel to turn
Language: English
Sounds very like Clannad. A song about summer homes and modern
emigration from the highlands and islands. Lyrics remind me of
Runrig. Maybe they got the idea for the song from Runrig's latest
album title. Fairly catchy, but too many modern instruments for
my liking. Came out as a single in the UK.
3) Aodann Srath Bha\in
Language: Scottish Gaelic
Slow ballad. Karen solo singing, main instruments guitar and piano
The melody feels traditional
4) Cape Breton Song
Language: Scottish Gaelic. Lyrics untranslatable - words have mutated
in the course of oral transmission
Catchy tune, sounds like a slow puirt a beul. I quite like it.
5) You will rise again
Language: English
Slow ballad. Sounds like something an English folk band might do.
6) Kenny MacDonald's jigs
Instrumental
Sounds like the jigs on the ealier albums, except the synthesiser is
far too noticeable for my liking. The tune is good though
7) Dean sa\or an spio/rad
Language: Scottish Gaelic and English
Sounds like Clannad. Fairly slow ballad.
8) Coisich, a ru\in (was a single in the UK)
Language: Scottish Gaelic
I really like this one. Starts off moody but quickly builds into
a fast puirt a beul style. I would have liked it even more without
the synthesisers. If the band manage to write their own songs in
this style then they should do very well.
9) Dr. MacPhail's reel
Instrumental
Quite a good tune. Features fiddles with some guitar and keyboards
10) Heart of the Highland
Language: English
Features Karen on vocals and backing guitar. The song has the feel
of something Runrig might write in one of their moments when they are
singing about Scotland
11) Breisleach
Language: Scottish Gaelic
A very nice ballad. Karen sings fantastic. Has a real Gaelic feel to it.
Probably the only track on the album which shows of her voice in the
same style as Sidewaulk and Crosswinds.
12) Islay ranter's reels
Instrumental
Nice lively song featuring fiddle and guitar.
Reminds me a bit of west coast Irish music, perhaps that's just because
it's from Islay which has the greatest Irish influence of the Scottish
Islands. I liked it.
13) Servant to the slave
Language: English
Slow ballad, sounds like Clannad.
Having written the above, I've noticed that the songwriters are listed on
the inside back cover. Track 1 is the only song written completely by the
band which I liked. Track 11 is jointly written by the Gaelic poet
Aonghas MacNeacall.
For those who have listened to Sidewaulk and Crosswinds, be prepared for a
big change. This album is more commercial and slower. Fans of Clannad will
probably like it, Karen's voice is also quite similar to Ma/ire's. The
band's accountant will proably like the album too! Purists who are
interested in traditional Gaelic music will probably like it less. I'm
not against bands developing their style and moving away from complete
traditionalism. I quite like "Mouth Music" and Enya's albums for instance.
However, what usually ends up happening is that the band end up losing
their unique style which made them special. Runrig are sounding more like
what Big Country were doing 10 years ago, and Capercaillie have given up
their unique position of a lively, modern ceilidh type band and seem to be
heading down the road which Clannad went down in the 70's. Karen has a
fantastic voice, but it doesn't shine enough on this album for me. The band
have also started going in for pictures like "this is the band in the hills
by a loch trying to look natural but ending up looking silly". After this
album, my favourite Capercaillie tracks still remain "Am buachaille ban",
"Both Sides the Tweed" and "Alasdair mhic cholla ghasda"
Band line up:
Karen Matheson: Vocals
Marc Duff: Whistles, bodhran, wind synthesiser
Manus Lunny: Bouzouki, Guitar, Vocals on tracks 1 & 13
Charlie McKerron: Fiddle
John Saich: Bass, Guitar on track 10. Vocals on tracks 5 & 10
For info on the band, contact:
Survival Records
P.O. Box 337
London
W5 4XG
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| Capercaillie news and touring info
News:
The release of "Waiting for the wheel to turn" has been moved to the new year.
Capercaillie have been asked to write the theme music for the new Gaelic
Soap "Machair", due for broadcast from Jan 93.
Touring info:
4-Dec The Arts Centre, Belfast
Tel: 0232 324936 Price #5
5-Dec The River Bank Theatre, Dublin
Tel: Box Office (late show - doors open 11pm) #6.50
7-Dec Newcastle's Riverside Club
Tel: Box Office 091 261 4386
Price: #4
8-Dec Leeds Irish Centre
Tel: box office 0532 480887
Price #5/#6
9-Dec Manchester University
Tel Box Office 061 275 2930
10-Dec Birmingham Hibernian Centre
Tel: Box office 021 472 0136
Price #7
11-Dec The Mean fiddler, London
tel: box office 081 963 0940
Price #6
- I won't be there, as I'm in Inverness then. If anyone is
interested in handing out Gaelic leaflets, could they contact
me please
12-Dec Edinburgh - Open Air Show - Check local press
14 Dec East Kilbride John Wright Centre
Tel: TOCTA outlets 031 557 6969
price #8 and concessions
15 Dec Cernegie Hall, Dunfermline
Tel: box office 0383 720108
Price #9
16 Dec Aberdeen Music Hall
Tel: box office 0224 641122
price #9
17 Dec Perth City Hall
Tel: Goldrush 0738 29730, Concorde 0738 21818
price #8
18 Dec Glasgow Barrowlands
Tel: Virgin, Union St 041 226 4679
price #8.50
19 Dec Alness Averon Leisure Centre
Tel: Box office 0349 882287
20 Dec Fort William - check local press
21 Dec Wick assembly rooms
Tel: Wick music shop 0955 2598
price #7.50
No other touring info available at the moment.
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