Battlefield Band - Happy Daze
30 years on the road, leading the way for Scottish music, means the only direction Battlefield Band know is 'forward'. Another change of personnel saw rising star Karine Polwart enlisted to join Alan Reid, John McCusker & Mike Katz on the only album recorded by this line-up, and the first to feature a female member for over twenty years.
Karine's undoubted songwriting ability made a strong impact and the combination of her distinctive voice as a counterpoint to Alan Reid's was particularly effective, while McCusker & Katz, the melody men, maintained their impeccable high standards.
"...if it has the words Battlefield Band on the cover it must be first class..."The Living Tradition
"...few acts command as much respect as The Battlefield Band...the delivery is always crisp and tight and yet they maintain at all times an ability to surprise. Davy Steele, former Battlefield Band member, and stalwart of the Scottish folk scene, passed away recently and many outfits would have found it damn near impossible to have recovered from a loss of such a magnitude. However The Battlefield Band - like all great institutions - takes change and tragedy in its stride - emerging with its dignity intact and stronger than before"
Pay The Reckoning
"Happy Daze succeeds on a number of levels, and will be welcomed by the group's fans and lovers of traditional Scottish music"
Ronnie D. Lankford, AllMusic
Track list:
1. The Devils Courtship / An Dro 2. Medium Man / Floating Candles / Nighean Cailleach Nan Cearc (The Hen Wifes Daughter) 3. The Banks Of Red Roses 4. Tiny Wee Vin / The Road To The Aisle 5. The Riccarton Tollman's Daughter 6. Shepherd Lad 7. The Merry Macs / Dr. Iain MacAonghais (Dr John MacInnes) / Fonn Air Cailleach An T-Siosalaich (Mrs Chisholms Delight) 8. Happy Days 9. Whaur Will We Gang? / March Of The Ceili Man 10. A Mile Down The Road / Johnny's Jig / Boys Of The Puddle 11. Start It All Over Again
Artists on this release:
Battlefield Band -
Alan Reid (keyboards / vocals)
John McCusker (fiddle / cittern / whistles)
Mike Katz (small pipes / Highland bagpipes / whistles)
Karine Polwart (vocals / guitar)
&
Donald Hay (percussion)
Kris Drever (upright bass)
Simon Thoumire (concertina)
Alison Kinnaird (cello)
Further Information:
Label: Temple Records
Released: 2001
CD release included 11 album tracks plus 4 extra value added tracks taken from other recent solo and Battlefield albums.
Produced by Robin Morton
Temple Records Catalogue Number:
CD - COMD 2085
Download - DD 2085
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