Best
Scottish Music
Scotland
has one of Europe's strongest living folk and musical traditions,
with an amazing number of singers, songwriters and musicians
performing in every musical style. Some, such as Rod
Stewart, The
Proclaimers,
Annie
Lennox,
Franz
Ferdinand, and Snow Patrol
are world famous. Others are less famous, and yet constantly
tour the world. Belle &
Sebastian have recently been voted as the best Scottish
Rock band of all time. Travis
came in second while Idlewild
bagged third but there was a complete change of pace for fourth
place, which was taken by late eighties popsters Wet
Wet Wet. Further
down the list were Simple Minds,
Primal Scream, The
Proclaimers, Sensational
Alex Harvey Band and the tartan loving Bay
City Rollers.
I
am often asked to name my own favourites, and while that is
no easy task, I thought I would list a few Scottish singers,
musicians and bands that no lover of Scottish music should be
without. To hear many samples, click on any of the links on
this page, then choose an album, then scroll down to "listen
to sample."
So
here goes............
Mar a Tha Mo Chridhe Julie Fowlis. Debut solo album from young North Uist-born singer and multi-instrumentalist who also plays in the band Dochas. The deserved winner of both the Gaelic Singer of the Year award andBBC Radio 2's Horizon award for breakthrough folk artist, Fowlis's music is beautifully, unselfconsciously romantic, steeped in the tradition of her Western Isles home and buoyed up by her sweet, clear voice and accomplished playing.
Oh What a Blow That Phantom Dealt Me . Oh What a Blow That Phantom Dealt Me by Jackie Leven. Great album from a singer, songwriter, who is one of the most talented performers in Scotland today. This CD is outstanding. Tracks include: Vox Humana. One Man One Guitar, Mellow My Madness.
My Secret Is My Silence . My Secret Is My Silence by Roddy Woomble. Tender and epic, enormous yet touching, Woomble's secret may not be his silence, but the brilliance of his musical friends.
Alloway Tales . Alloway Tales. An wonderful selection of Robert Burns songs performed by Burns specialist Ian Bruce. One of the best singers on the folk scene today.
Gaelic Scotland, Vol. 2 . Traditional Gaelic songs from the Isle of Skye, Isle of Lewis, Uist and other areas of Scotland presented by a veritable "who is who" of Gaelic singers and musicians: Mackenzie, Clíar, Mary Ann Kennedy & Charlotte Petersen, Donnie Murdo MacLeod, Dòchas, Maeve MacKinnon, Iain MacKay, Blair Douglas. Original lyrics in Gaelic with English translations plus Information about songs and musicians.
Home Again . Home Again is the first album from Edwyn Collins since his cerebral haemorrhage in 2005, which left the former Orange Juice frontman seriously ill in hospital. Don’t be fooled by the title, though. Recorded before Collins’ hospitalisation but only mixed after his recovery, this record isn’t so much a story of rehabilitation as and album written in the spirit of reflection.
Smile... It Confuses People Sandi Thom. Debut album from a young Scottish singer-songwriter from Macduff in Aberdeenshire, who allegedly landed a deal with RCA after webcasting gigs to tens of thousands of net users from her Tooting basement. Drawing on a musical palette that varies from Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley through Carole King and Stevie Nicks to Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, Sandi Thom joins the dots between black and white music.
Do Whatever Turns You on Scottish indie rockers Aberfeldy return with their second album. Do Whatever Turns You On fuses catchy riffs with up-beat choruses resulting in a compelling record with elements of folk, punk and rock 'n' roll. Includes the single 'Hypnotised'.
Although
Karine
Polwart
has been around in groups like the Battlefied
Band
and Malinky ,
Faultlines
her first solo album. It's brilliant.The quality of all the
songs, all self-penned, is remarkably high from the up beat
'Four Strong Walls' the jazzy opener 'Only One Way', the beautiful
folky, 'Faultlines' and 'Waterlily' to the murder ballad 'Azalea
Flower'. Best
Scottish Music.
Ballad
of the Broken Seas
Ballad Of The Broken Seas is the debut album from former Belle
and Sebastian member Isobel Campbell and former Screaming
Trees and Queens Of The Stone Age lead singer Mark Lanegan.
Recorded in Glasgow and Los Angeles, the album mixes indie-folk
and blues with Campbell's sweet vocals complementing Lanegan's
harsh voice.
The
Power and the Passion
This recording breathes new life into songs which have been
around for a long time and makes them sound fresh and new, whilst
still respecting and preserving their original meaning. Amongst
the trios, the very intimate Over the Sea to Skye and Loch Lomond
are particularly beautiful, as are the two Hebridean solos Sleeps
The Noon and Land o' Heart's Desire. The third Hebridean solo,
Mist-covered Mountains of Home, is a brilliantly catchy jazz-inspired
number finishing on a huge, tenorial top note!
K.T.
Tunstall .
This Scottish raised singer, songwriter of Chinese ancestry
debuts with a delightful album as mixed as her background. One
of the most popular tracks is the fun-country live rendition
of the foot-stompin' "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree".
Eye
to the Telescope .
Karen
Matheson's vocals are the coolest, swirling and slamming, amazingly
dynamic on Down
River .
Eddi
Reader one of the great voices in Scottish music today.
Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns is one of the finest
albums to come out of Scotland this year. Best
Scottish Music.
Annie
Lennox is a popular Scottish singer, born in Aberdeen. She
formed The Tourists group and then The Eurythmics with Dave
Stewart. She stopped performing with The Eurythmics and embarked
on a solo career. In 2004 she won an Oscar for her song, ‘Into
the West’, from the film Lord of the Rings: The Return
of the King.
Alasdair
Fraser. Alasdair Fraser is recognized throughout the world
as one of the finest fiddle players Scotland has ever produced.
Best
Scottish Music.
Posted Sober . Michael Marra, is widely acclaimed as one of Scotland's most talented and original songwriters and performers, He was born 1952 in Lochee, Dundee. This wonderful collections of songs and music will surely bring Michael Marra the wider recognication his awesome talent deserves.
Silly
Wizard must rate as one of the top Scottish folk bands of
many a year. Best
Scottish Music.
Scottish
Tranquility by famed Phil
Coulter is one of his bestselling albums. Best
Scottish Music.
Battlefield
Band has been at the forefront of Scottish music for thirty
years. This innovative group, which blends traditional Scottish
music with other idioms, was named after the Glasgow district
of Battlefield. Formed in the early 1970s, the band has undergone
many changes of personnel over the years. Best
Scottish Music.
Aly
Bain is probably one of the best-known and most significant
fiddle-players in the Scottish tradition. Aly Bain was born
in Lerwick, Shetland, and was taught fiddle by the famed Tom
Anderson. Aly was a founding member of Boys
of the Lough and has often worked very successfully with
Phil Cunningham since
1988, and also as an exceptional solo artist. Best
Scottish Music.
Fiddle Music from Scotland . Fiddler Five features the best of Scotlands folk fiddlers. These musicians; Marie Fielding, Chuck Fleming, John McCusker, Brian McNeill and John Martin accompanied by Brian Miller on guitar and Alan Reid on piano, have played with the cream of Scotlands bands, including Battlefield Band, Ossian, Tannahill Weaver, J.S.D. Band, Five Hand Reel, Jim Johnstones Scottish Dance Band and the Laggan Band. Each Fiddler plays a solo track and they join together to reproduce a session in a mixture of old and well known material, plus obscure and newly written tunes.
Peatbog
Faeries
Over the last few years The Peatbog Faeries have proved to be
one of the most popular Celtic bands around. With their rousing
songs they are amongst one of the most popular acts at any festival,
and can certainly claim to be a leading Scottish band.
The
Corries, Scotland's most famous folk duo. Roy Williamson,
1936 to 1990, and Ronnie Brown formed this inlfuential folk
band, playing a wide variety of different instruments and recording
many albums. They are best remembered for Flower
Of Scotland, written by Roy Williamson, which has been adopted
as the unofficial Scottish National Anthem. Best
Scottish Music.
Jimmy
Shand, (Jimmy) (1908—2000) Accordionist, born in East
Wemyss, Fife. He left the mines at 18 to work in a music shop
and became a professional player, gaining acclaim after appearing
on programmes such as the White Heather Club. He toured the
world and continued playing in his later years. He was knighted
in 1999.
Forever
in Song
Andy Stewart, of The White Heather Club fame sings great Scottish
Songs including; Donald Where's Yer Troosers,. Highlandman's
Umbrella, Loch Marie Island, Lovely Stornoway, Dancing In Kyle,
Song Of The Clyde, In Praise Of Isla, Rothesay Bay, Joy Of My
Heart, Loch Lomond, Stop Your Ticklin' Jock, Roamin' In The
Gloamin', Wee Deoch An' Doris, Keep Right On To The End Of The
Road.
Capercaillie
are without a doubt one of the most popular of Scottish traditional
groups of the past twenty years. Founded in 1984 by Donald Shaw,
accordionist. The band also includes the incredible Karen
Matheson, considered one of the best Gaelic singers of her
time.
Tannahill
Weavers Band formed in Paisley in 1968. Their hard-driving
approach to Scots traditional song and tune, incorporating old
and newer instruments, has made them hugely popular over the
years. Dougie MacLean
is a former member of Tannahill Weavers.
The
Old Blind Dogs have stood at the leading edge of the roots
revival that has both reawakened and revolutionised Scottish
folk music.
The
Proclaimers are a popular duo formed in 1983 by Charlie
and Craig Reid, twins, born in Leith, and brought up in Auchtermuchty,
Fife. They recorded their first album, This Is The Story in
1986. Sunshine On Leith followed in 1988. They have continued
to release very successful albums and are popular both in Scotland
and in the USA. Best
Scottish Music.
Runrig
Celtic band, founded by brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald on
Skye in 1973. Runrig merge Celtic and Gaelic influences with
modern Rock. They continue to perform in the Uk and Europe to
sellout crowds.
Dick
Gaughan, Scotland's most famous traditional singer and guitarist.
Dick Gaughan was born in Glasgow and grew up in Leith. He recorded
his first album in 1971. A guitarist, songwriter and record
producer, he has worked mainly in Celtic folk music. Best
Scottish Music.
Eric
Bogle Remarkable songwriter from Scotland, now residing
in Australia. Eric has been described as one of the most important
songwriters of recent years.
The
Rough Guide to Scottish Folk. With, Silly Wizard, Rory Campbell,
The Tannahill Weavers, Alasdair Fraser etc;
Scottish Fiddle Encyclopedia. Offer fiddlers direct access to the gems of the genre. Composers represented in this volume span a three hundred year period including works by: Patrick MacDonald, Adam Craig, Capt. Charles Duff, Simon Fraser, Robert and Joseph Lowe, Robert MacIntosh, William Marshall, and J. Scott Skinner. Ms. Rideout's original compositions are also included. The tunes are listed in order by key signature to enable the fiddler to put sets together for performance, competition or session playing. This book contains extra marches and strathspeys unique to Scottish fiddling. The end of the book is dedicated to solo numbers consisting of piobaireachd, pibroch, and slow airs. The Scottish Fiddle Encyclopedia is an essential tune book for musicians interested in developing a deeper appreciation for genuine traditional Scottish fiddle music. Scottish Fiddle Encyclopedia .
Scottish
Ballads.
Songs
Of Scotland.
Traditional
Music of Scotland.
Traditional
Folksongs and Ballads of Scotland
Songs
Of Scotland
Highland
Dancing
Gaelic
Music and Song
Jean
Redpath, Scottish Singer, born in Edinburgh, brought up
in Fife. She has had a distinguished career as a singer and
interpreter of Scottish music. She has made highly acclaimed
recordings of the songs of Robert Burns.
The
Best of the Alexander Brothers
Alexander Brothers, great Scottish Songs including; Mull Of
Kintyre, Any Dream Will Do, Oil Rigger, Loving Her Was Easier
(Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again ), One Day At A Time, Scotland
Scotland, Road To Dundee,. Flying Scotsman.
Jock
Tamson's Bairns. The fantastic voices of Rod Paterson and
John Croall are combined with wonderful accompaniment from Derek
Hoy, Ian Hardie and Norman Chalmers creating an album that you
will want to play again and again. Best
Scottish Music.
The
Dunkeld area
is blessed with many incredibly talented Scottish musicians,
song-writers and composers.
A
few recommendations for great Scottish Christmas gifts. Eddi
Reader Sings
the Songs of Robert Burns is one of the finest albums to
come out of Scotland this year. Scottish
Tranquility by famed Phil Coulter is one of his bestselling
albums. Gaelic
Scotland is a delight on the senses for this truly romantic
language.
The
Scottish
Ceilidh Dance Party is legendary the world over for bringing
people together to listen and dance to the music of the Scottish
Country Dance Band. Whatever your taste in Scottish
Music, the Music of Scotland is alive and thriving, with
an many singers, songwriters and musicians performing in every
musical style.
The
most popular Celtic Music CDs and latest Celtic Bestsellers
can be found here.
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