Chuck Lipsig penned this review.
The Tannahill Weavers have a new CD out named Epona.
That’s really all anyone needs to know. But it doesn’t make a good review, does it? How about this then? In the Tannahills’ quarter-century history, this is the 14th album released by the band. According to the liner notes, “none, happily, have been recaptured.” (The band, en masse, claims credit for that pun in the liner notes, but I’m almost certain it was Roy Gullane’s miscreation.)
As for the music, happily, the Tannahill Weavers are on top of their game with none of the tracks faltering. There appears to be a certain pairing of themes among the songs with lyrics — “The Great Ships” and “Rich Man’s Silver” are a pair of economic case studies from the pen of Mr. Gullane that are a heck of a lot clearer than most anything found in college texts. A pair of beautiful of love songs are included that were unsuccessful for their original intentions. Whoever drove Robert Tannahill to suicide was a damned fool, as “The Braes O’Glennifer” demonstrates; however, Miss Chloris Lorimer has the distinction of having turned down Mr. Gillespie, despite his gift of the song “Craigieburn Wood,” with Robert Burns playing Cyrano in that courtship. “When the Kye Come Hame” and “Robin Tamson’s Smiddy” are a fine pair of merrier songs of courtship, the latter having a particularly neat twist. As for the Burns classic “Westlin’ Wind” – well I guess it’s the odd one out – but if you like singing along with recordings, this one’s a real treat, especially if you sing bass.
As for the instrumentals, “Interceltic Set,” “Carronside Set,” and “McGregor of Rora Set” are all wonderful sequences of songs that start slow and sweet, building to quick and still sweet. “McGregor of Rora,” the slow air version of a march that starts its self-named set, is especially beautiful. “Lord Drummond” is a lovely slow air that stays slow; “Loch Tayside Set” starts and stays quick.
(Grenn Linnet, 1998)
