Finlay and the weavers

I managed to play today, but found myself struggling to recall how Kilbowie Cottage goes. I listened to it and thought I had it, but got confused once I was back with dots and pipes. This random failure to learn tunes is one of the reasons why I normally learn a handful at a time: though some fall by the wayside others will be left. Still, I will persevere, and I need to put The Big Spree or Highland Strands back in the car so I can listen to the tune.

Thanks to a recent birthday I have new listening matter. First is the Tannahill Weavers' Leaving St Kilda. I've only listened to it the once and it's good in parts, as they say. The tune selection is good: The Good Drying, Whistlebinkies Reel, Magersfontein I already know and its good to hear new versions of these; the rest are new to me and are a good selection of classic pipe tunes, well played. My only quibble with the pipe sets is that someone should have politely asked the guitarist to sling his hook: he's too loud, too high up in the mix, and, for my money, adds precisely nothing.

Pipe sets aside there are lots of song sets. In fact 8 out of the 12 tracks are songs. How can I put this tactfully? I cannot abide them. I dislike the singer's voice, I find the arrangements uninspiring. I was amazed when I first read Tannies' sleeve notes to find that they generally sing trad songs, because they manage to make them sound like 1970s hippy folk with a guitar and a tambourine. (There may not actually be a tambourine. It just sounds as though there might be). I was prepared for this, and after all, that's what the skip button on a CD player is for. I'm disappointed that so few sets are pipe sets, and bitterly disappointed that as far as I can tell the one instance of smallpipes (a strong reason for overcoming my dislike of songs and asking for this) is during one of the songs!

The second birthday CD was Finlay Macdonald. I can't remember how or where I came across him, I can't find the CD online anywhere, not even through Coda where it came from. A mix of old and new tunes, some written by Finlay. Chris Stout is credited on fiddle, which has to be a good thing. Currently on track three and so far very good indeed.