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Buy May You Never Lack a Scone by Jock Tamson's Bairns
A new JTBs CD is a major event- 20 odd years is a long time between albums, especially as their last (1982 "Lasses Fashion") was chosen as one of the all-time top ten albums by Richard Thomson - a man who knows a good band when he hears it - for "Q" magazine. In truth, "the Bairns" have not existed as a working unit for all of that time but the new line-up of original members Rod Paterson, John Croall, Derek Hoy, Ian Hardie and Norman Chalmers sounds just like it did in 1982 - still fresh, lively and inventive. Their ability to make new and innovative noises on a very traditional set of instruments is astounding and the grey hairs don't show on CD!
Here we have 13 tracks of songs, tunes and sets - and Rod Paterson's voice is, predictably, very much in evidence. The man could sing the telephone directory and make it moving. However, his instantly-identifiable tones contrast and blend beautifully with John Croall's on songs like (Robert) Tannahill's wistful "Braes o' Glennifer", the bouncy "Johnny Sangster" and the even more bouncy "Donal Don" - from whence comes the puzzling reference to scones (buy the CD to find out more).
The CD kicks off with a rousing marching drum and never lets loose your attention - whether it's through the lyricism of "Bogie's Bonnie Bell", with a different melody from the one we all know, or the gentle swing of "Woo'd and Married and A'" which puts me in mind of mid-period Nic Jones, incongruously enough. Perhaps it's just the easy, lazy guitar - it sure ain't the accents! As you'd expect, the instruments are as tight as the proverbial duck's behind with the distinctive JTB's swing (although less marked than that of their descendant band - the Easy Club) that we all know and love. Anything new here, then? Well, the sound's perhaps fuller-sounding but that may be just the effect of more experience in production amongst the band members - the ensemble singing on "Gude Claret" is especially impressive.
I could do a track-by-track, but it wouldn't help you. This is 24-carat JTBs, sounding like they've never been away and the 20 years simply have not passed. It was a fabulous sound then and it still is now. Mighty indeed.
Alan Murray, Living Tradition April 2001
Norman Chalmers: concertina whistles Ian Hardie: fiddle, vocals Rod Paterson: vocals, guitar Derek Hoy: fiddle John Croall: vocals, bodhran, whistles
Media Reviews
Where to begin and where to end? There isn't a track here you wouldn't take to your desert island
For more than two decades, I've never ceased to be thrilled and enthused by the arrival of a new Bairns recording Their tune sets are always crisp and invigorating, while their song interpretations never fail to shed new light on Scots tradition. The arrangements are always breathtaking, sometimes as complex as a classical piece and sometimes starkly simple. I'd offer this as their best yet.
Where to begin and where to end? There isn't a track here you wouldn't take to your desert island; if a favourite ther must be, let it be Rod Paterson's tear-jerking reading of Bogie's Bonnie Belle. I wouldn't even dare to pick from the half dozen exellent tune sets, packed with ideas and originality. If you're wondering about the title, it's based on a chorus line from the final song, Donal Don. The booklet contains an excellent scone recipe, in case you're caught short.
its snappy-swingy, fiddle-driven sets and sensitively couched songs, suggest that old Bairns never die
"No let-up of their distinctive stamp on Scottish music... its snappy-swingy, fiddle-driven sets and sensitively couched songs, suggest that old Bairns never die, nor do they fade away..."
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