Thursday, April 7, 2011

CD Review: Scotland's Julie Fowlis with 'LIVE At Perthshire Amber'



Live At Perthshire Amber





Recorded on October 29th, 2010 at the Perthshire Amber Festival in Scotland, Live At Perthshire Amber is the first live album release from Julie Fowlis. The Scottish-Gaelic singer also plays flute on this one. Additional muscians include her husband and bouzouki player, Eamon Doorley, Duncan Chisholm on fiddle, Tony Byrne on gutiar, Martin O'Neill on bodhran, and Dougie MacLean on tenor guitar. The album opens with a solo vocal performance by Julie. The instrumentation joins in on subsequent tracks with all the energy and enthusiasm of a Scottish festival without being too big to detract from its family-sized, humble roots as a perfect introduction into a quaint musical gathering. The album is scattered with introductions, applause, and praise. However, the audience is quite respectful and never overpowers the music or instruments. Thirteen tracks are culled from Julie's previous releases, Uam, Cuilidh, and Mar a Tha Ma Chridhe. The vocal calisthenics are astounding, and at first glance, difficult to discern for the listener not well-versed in Gaelic. Luckily, the music stands out high above any linguistic incapacities. Enjoy Julie 'Live...' wherever you are! ~ Matthew Forss

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