It says a lot for the Julie Fowlis effect that a google search for her previous two albums throws up reviews not only from the big UK papers – not normally renowned for their coverage of things Gaelic – but also from sources as diverse as the Pittsburgh City Paper and the Boston Globe. And if they liked ‘Cuilidh’ and ‘Mar a tha mo chridhe’, they’re bound to love her newest effort, ‘Uam’.
‘Uam’ is the Gaelic for ‘from me’, and Julie explains that the idea of the passing of songs from singer to singer is central to the culture – and survival - of Gaelic song. Perhaps it’s apt, then, that two of the stand-out tracks on the album have come to Julie in just this way.
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You could be forgiven for thinking (on the basis of their album cover) that the Paul McKenna Band were the folk scene's answer to 'Westlife'. But then there's only so many ways you can photograph five twenty-something guys against an urban backdrop I suppose.
'Between Two Worlds' is a fantastic debut album from a band who have been steadily working towards complete domination of the Scottish Folk scene for the past 3 years or so. This reviewer (though I can't speak for the rest of the band's fan-base), is willing to overlook the omission of 'Take My Hand' from the final track-list. For me, the song has become the band's signature tune - as well as being one of David McNee's most finely crafted songs. But I'll stop raving on about it, as it's not on the album.
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Now I will begin by admitting that country music, in its purest form, is not my favourite genre of music. I am however a big fan of many of the off shoots of country such as bluegrass, americana and blues. I was hoping that Diana Jones would have her fingers in all of those afore mentioned pies and that I could add another ‘stand out’ CD to my collection. So I settled in and expected to be pleasantly rocked to and fro by soft bass and quick strummed mandolin strings, the way only music from the Tennessee Hills can do. The album begins with a new release and the name of this compilation ‘Better Things to Come’. Cynically I thought, for her and my sake let’s hope so. Needless to say it didn’t grab me immediately. There are some pleasant harmonies though and my prediction of bass and strings came true, but nothing special. I didn’t fall in love with Jones’s voice either.
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