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“Seudan” (2011) - Seudan
If you are looking for a band of bagpipes that is not a pipe-band, here is a high-flying one composed of many talented pipers! The musical style takes us through the Scottish traditions of the Hebrides but also of the east coast of... Canada (Nova Scotia).
These two regional influences give us a vitamin production totally rooted in tradition and in its codes. That being said, we often cruelly lack arrangements on this kind of albums and the opus I propose to you is no exception to this... tradition.
Certainly, the highly laudable objective of preserving and transmitting this culture is achieved a thousand times. But the risk remains of limiting its diffusion to a circle of initiates... which somewhat misses the goal! There remains a magnificent game of pipers that we can enjoy as is.
My selection:
- Tullochgorm (track 1): start on a "bed" of drones, all bagpipes outside with a high rhythm and… feet beats; pipers plays very technical. The transition is a little doubtful - in a collage way without arrangements - but the very well-known second tune takes advantage of the increase in the tempo and gives life to the track; an unexpected guimbarde still raises the sauce; the drones are remarkable, non-invasive and with a beautiful well-integrated sound; big dynamic for this intro; an interesting second voice not followed enough and we continue on a very expressive 3rd air with still attempts at harmonies not advanced enough and always a very well balanced guimbarde with the pipes. We are not bored with this hyper-vitaminized start.
- Tha Mulad (track 7): the 1st theme is almost anecdotal because we leave quite quickly on a theme you can find on my website, The Old Wife Of The Milldust (jig); the mix is quite mediocre with a percussion that seems to be playing elsewhere but the theme is superbly executed; we continue on a variation or another theme supported by a female voice that fits perfectly on the rhythm.
- Piobaireachd Dhomhnaill Duibh (track 9): small pipe duo and voice dubbed by choirs on the chorus; the Highland bagpipe intelligently comes to take up the theme in the end and it is rather successful with a few rare percussions to emphasise all this; finally it is probably the most arranged track of the album while remaining faithful to the tradition of piobaireachd.
Albums of Traditional Celtic Music - 5
“A-Raok Mont Kuit” (*) (1994) - Gilles Servat
The artist is a major actor of the revival of Breton music during the seventies and of the affirmation of the Celtic style, like his fellows from Tri Yann and like Alan Stivell.
He is also a great lyricist and writer (see his "Chroniques d'Arcturus"), in Breton or in French.
Here is his 14th album.
It's mainly "a Voice". Not a shiny one but a low and warm voice that is the artist true signature.
His lyrics are pretty various as the choice of languages (Breton, French and even English)… but the Breton is by far his best way.
The album appears in fact like some kind of a tribute to the Breton King Nevenoë, the main character of several songs : it could have been composed and produced as a concept album.
Some tracks are less interesting and one can regret that Servat did not record more "traditional" tunes (like track 1) by inviting traditional Breton musicians to play on this opus.
That being said, it's a pleasant record, led by a beautiful voice of a conscious artist.
My selection :
- Kan Bale Nevenoe (track 1) : it starts a capella in Breton, with a warm and low voice; then some drums from the Bagad; a good break just before to launch powerful bombards. A great tribute to Glenmor (it's a cover) and to Nevenoë…
- Marv Pontkalleg (track 3) : well, it's in the "Top Ten" of the Breton repertoire (thanks to Barzaz Breizh and Villemarqué); the arrangements are quite minimalist but it's a great interpretation of this classic.
- Pardon Sant Gwildo (track 7) : Breton blues… well, it's quite an achievement with a nice groove, pretty slide guitar parts and a Breton voice that fits very well the music. The track wakes up the album.
- La Vie S’Ecoule La Vie S’Enfuit (track 12) : I could have chosen another track but this one reveals another side of Gilles Servat as a committed artist. So here is an anarchist song with a… Belgian melody for a timeless struggle.
(*) meaning “Before To Leave".
