Wendy Donahue wrote this review.
Readers outside of Canada might not be familiar with Quagmyre, but may have witnessed the talents of several of the band’s members. In recent years fiddler Jon Pilatzke has been seen playing with well-known Celtic rock bands 7 Nations and The Prodigals, while brothers Jon and Nathan Pilatzke have toured with The Chieftains as on-stage fiddler (Jon) and step dancers (both) alongside bandmate Cara Butler, a 14 year member of the Chieftains’ touring company. Jon also continues to tour with Bowfire, a high energy Celtic ensemble; Jef and Ryan McLarnon tour with the Celtic dance troupe Pulse. Jon McCann has played in bands ranging from Caution Jam and Radio Nomad to Jack B. Nimble. Despite these schedules, this group of talented musicians has come together to form Quagmyre. The band first started playing local gigs in Toronto in the fall of 2000, and released their debut EP A Mouthful of Potatoes the next year.
Of Cabbages and Kings, the band’s latest effort, is everything a sophomore release should be: more polished than a debut, yet still fresh and full of surprises. Quagmyre has managed to give us a diverse collection of tunes that flow together beautifully. The band is not one to be easily labeled, and this is true of the CD as well. Their style is firmly rooted in Scottish and Irish Canadian heritage, but has a sound all its own. Some tunes have a very traditional and folk sound, while others feature rock, jazz, and funk fusions. Whether served straight up or melded with another genre, every track grabs the ear and entertains with a unique style.
The new release opens with a great set of traditional reels from the band’s Canadian heritage entitled “The Dionne Quintuplets,” consisting of “The Dionne Quintuplets Reel” and “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” while the third, “The Little Beggarman” is a well known Irish traditional tune. There’re some jaw-harping and banjo playing that would make any bluegrass band stand up and take notice, yet the step dancing of Cara Butler, the driving bass, and percussion ensure it’s not your run-of-the-mill folk hybrid. It’s a foot-stompin’, get up and dance piece, with some great fiddling.
Next the album flows into “Cape Breton Tunes,” another traditional set that gives fiddler Pilatzke a chance to really show off. Fans of fiddlers like Ashley MacIssac and Natalie MacMaster will enjoy the style of this piece. Jon plays with both the technical precision of a master and the exuberance one might find at an impromptu live session. The track features four tunes: a march, strathspey, reel, and hornpipe. The last tune, “Clumsy Lover,” is traditionally a favorite of pipers, and is done great justice on fiddle here. The segues between the tunes are smooth and make this set seem like one long song.
Another traditional piece is the “Humours of Ballyloughlin.” This is a traditional 6/8 Irish jig, and here we’re treated to the jingle taps of Nathan Pilatzke. The sound is as musical as any instrument. This is the most unique arrangement of this tune I’ve heard. It’s great fun to listen to . . . a natural mood-elevator! I’m betting it’s as much fun to play, and that feeling comes through, thankfully having not been lost in the studio.
Other traditional tunes include “The Dark Island,” a traditional Scottish tune that the band has arranged and taken somewhere different than the original, as well as “Dinney O’Brien’s,” “Congress Grove,” and “Row,” all given fantastic new arrangements by the band. When “Dinney O’Brien’s” kicks into gear with sax and brass alongside the band’s folk instruments in a jazz-Celtic fusion, it’s a unique, delicious mix of musical influences, and a decidedly happy tune! “Congress Grove” has a Calypso-style beat to it. Reggae reels . . . you’ve probably never heard anything like them, and they are worth hearing.
But Of Cabbages and Kings features more than just fresh, modern arrangements of traditional tunes, as there are several original tunes as well. Composed by Jon Pilatze, “Seventy Four” was originally recorded on the band’s debut EP. The new version of “Seventy Four” is fuller, more polished, but still maintains high energy and a driving beat. This addictive tune is top notch Celtic rock.
“Strange” is a lovely song written by and featuring the soothing vocals of Ryan McLarnon. I really enjoyed both the lyrics and the sound of this song — it would blend nicely into any top 40 playlist, even while featuring a lovely lilting fiddle line and folk strumming patterns on guitar. Another of Ryan’s songs is the aptly-named “Relax,” which is an enchanting ballad designed to encourage the listener to do just that. The percussion line does a nice job of supporting the tune without being overbearing, and the finger work on both acoustic and bass guitar is astounding. The fiddle line provides a nice fullness to the overall sound of the tune and brings it all together.
Jef McLarnon treats us to “Godjaw,” an enjoyable song with a Latin feel in the rhythm, demonstrating once again these guys can mix their Celtic traditional music backgrounds with just about anything and come out sounding great. “Jig of Indecision” is a parable with a vocal melody that will evoke memories of childhood fairy tales, but the message is decidedly “grown up.” Jef keeps the message short and simple, letting the song give way to some great folk rock. He gives us one last vocal in “Survive.” A powerful message for peace, this is a song is a ballad sung well, and a fitting closing tune for the album.
[Update: The band does not seem to be a going concern any more, but this performance video that includes a lot of that energetic Ottawa Valley step dancing, certainly verifies Wendy’s positive words about Quagmyre.]
(Grayson Matthews Audio Design, 2005)
