Mairearad Green’s quintessentially Scottish new album Summer Isles, an exercise in tradition and at the same time a showcase of contemporary elements meeting age-old themes, contains moments of real musical mastery and in places shows a good understanding of the creative process.
‘Red-Throated Diver’, in which the accordion instrumental is an instance of inspired, spontaneous, zeal, the very use of an abrupt break and change in time signature works extremely well; it stands out as though all niceties were being discarded for the sake of an important and difficult truth.
The variety of voices, which take the foreground highlights one of the cornerstones of folk, not only in the Celtic tradition, but arising where it may, which is that it is about community.
Folk’s resilience to change, its ability to withstand decades-worth of new genres – of course, sparking most of those genres itself – and still remain an active organ in the body of contemporary music lies in its capacity to cut human matters to their bare bones: something Mairearad Green takes on board and then some, with unmistakeable resemblances coming through, in ‘Tanera Talisman’, of neighbours from across the North sea, the Icelandic giants Sigur Ros or in the accordion in ‘Red Throated Diver’, which carries suggestions of strong influences from Eastern Europe.
Chipping away at the stone pillar of Scottish folk then, through the lacing of contemporary influences.
‘Seanchaidh’ – Storyteller – fits this description best, throughout, which an evocative bagpipe melody and repeating vocal line seem to follow the train of a story being told – once you’ve understood the Gaelic.
In all the album does something interesting with its blend of the modern and the traditional; there is little doubt Mairearad Green’s musical talent and vision, however a lack of fluidity, at times, prevents that talent and vision from being fully credited.
Words: Patrick McCafferty
