SKERRYVORE
Tempus
Philippe Cousin
With a subtle combination of bagpipes, accordions, fiddle, whistles and guitar, backed by a powerful rhythm section delivered by bass and drums, Skerryvore is currently one of the most prominent bands in contemporary Scottish music.
Originally formed by the Gillespie brothers from the Isle of Tiree on the west coast of Scotland, they have since been joined by five musicians and a guitarist and singer, Alec Dalglish, who has left his mark on the band's music.
After six studio albums, a live album and a Best of celebrating their ten years of existence, they are now offering us a new studio album, Tempus, which marks a new stage in their career, as they will be celebrating twenty years on stage in 2025. Listening to it, there's no doubt that Skerryvore have reinvented Scottish roots music with their devilishly dynamic Celtic folk-pop-rock.
This is an audacious album on which the eight musicians deliver a melodic line that is epic, emotionally intimate, yet firmly rooted in their Scottish roots and open to the world. On this opus, the members of Skerryvore have concentrated on expanding their fresh, dynamic pop-rock sound.
Alec Dalglish is at the heart of the band, penning seven of the twelve songs on the album, with the instrumentals by pipers Martin Gillespie and Scott Wood. Here are just a few of the tracks that are most representative of the Skerryvore sound: Vancouver Island, Your Love, Legends of the Sun and The Beasts of Bone Lake.
If you haven't heard of this band yet, which I've mentioned on several occasions, hurry up and fill the gap by listening to this superb album.
Tyree RecordsCOOKCD867 - www.skerryvore.com