Nova Scotia’s MacKeel have figured out a way to be heard over the din of the Maritimes’
many Celtic bands: Turn it up. On Plaid, the Celt-rock newcomers’ debut album,
fiddles and bagpipes intertwine with distorted electric guitars and punchy drums.It’s an
unapologetically loud approach to traditional music, as reliant on standard rock as folk standards.– Kieran Grant, Toronto Sun
The Web site for MacKeel had this blurb on it: “MacKeel’s unique individuality combines great songs with traditional tunes and contemporary sensibilities: fiddle and bagpipes with rock guitar, bass and drums. The result is a fascinating, innovative and instantly identifiable sound that charts out some prime untapped musical territory. Currently recording their second CD, MacKeel’s new material unquestionably exemplifies the future of Celtic influenced rock music.” Sad to say, but the second CD will never be cut as the band disbanded. This is not an uncommon occurrence in music circles as bands break up regularly over matters both great and small, but it’s a real pity in this case as MacKeel was a truly great band.
MacKeel had toured the country coast to coast over the last year, attempting to build an audience for their Celtic rock music. They had little luck doing so, leading to a number of canceled dates including Johnny Ds in Boston, Massachusetts. However, Plaid is a more than worthy album to leave behind as witness to their musical abilities. MacKeel started off as a cover band playing classic-rock songs. Eventually, they had Dane Grant (Highland bagpipes, small pipes, tin whistle, vocals) playing with them for a few songs per night. He’d play the bagpipes along to these rock songs, and that’s where MacKeel’s Celtic rock sound originated. MacKeel fit into the same category of Celtic bands as Tempest, Clandestine, Seven Nations, Sawney Bean, and the Mahones: Celtic music merging with a rock sensibility. There is nothing terribly new in a creative sense here, but they play with great skill and a considerable level of enthusiasm. They were, without a doubt, a very good pub and festival band.
The band consisted of Fleur Mainville on electric & acoustic fiddles, keyboards, and vocals; Kevin Brennen on guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals; Dane Grant on Highland bagpipes, small pipes, tin whistle, and vocals; Glenn Gordon on guitar and vocals; and Dave Hoare on bass and vocals. If you’ve heard Seven Nations or Wolfstone, you’ve know what their style was like: fast, loud, and raucous. Even me wee Granny Killiam was up and dancing to this music — and she’s been dead for thirty years!
The present album, which has been remastered and re-released on A&M Canada, was originally an indie release by the group themselves. It has one additional track, “Star of the County Down,” the first and only Canadian national radio single for the group. “Star of the County Down” has been covered by more performers than one can possibly count, including the Oysterband, Van Morrison, the Pogues, the Mahones, and the Flash Girls. Glenn Gordon, the lead vocalist, puts the right note of desperate sexual urgency into his telling of this tale — only John Jones of the Oysterband, who cover it on their Cry, Cry EP, comes close to getting the feel right. (Van Morrison, sounding too old and tired on his version, does the worst job.)
There’s not a weak cut on the CD, so I’ll just note that much of their music which is not well-known Celtic covers such as “Star of the County Down” and “Drunken Sailor,” has Maritime content to it. “Haul Away Joe,” “Fisherman’s Brew,” “Heaved Away,” and “Nova Scotia’s Hands” are all tightly tied to the sea. “Thiang I Anall,” in contrast, is a rousing Gaelic langauge song! Several tunes fills out this album, “In And Out Of The Harbour” and “Cranntara,” both of which are well-done.
You’ll never hear them live, so buy this CD to hear how good they were. Rumors are swirling on their list that the band is reforming with new personnel, but I doubt it will happen. And if it does, they won’t sound the same — even if a red-headed banshee of a fiddler replaces the present fiddling banshee!
(A&M Canada, 1996)
