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Elly Roberts reviews
Ridge Records
- Cat.no: RR037
- Released: August 2005
- Rating: 10/10
Sonic wonderland from 30 years of Scotland’s premier neuvo-Celtic cross-over rockers, Runrig.Formed on the Isle Of Skye, they’ve single-handedlycaptured the spirit, passion and its poetry.
From the echoy big-sound stompers, Wall Of China, Empty Glens and Alba, togentile ballads such as In Search Of Angels and Old Boys, we’re reminded oftheir unrelenting output, all crammed into one hour fifteen minutes.
Influencing band’s such as fellow countrymen Big Country, Runrig stillretain a cult following around the globe: this will no doubt delight theirmillions of fans. Surprisingly, they only began becoming a real commercialentity in 1988 with the album Once In A Lifetime, then single entry with theCapture Your Heart (EP) in 1990 which turned them into a major force.
Since then they’ve enjoyed consistent success with further 10 albums – biggestsellers The Big Wheel (1991) and Amazing Things (1993) from their commercialpeak – and nine singles to date. This collection is not a ‘Hits’ album asmost tracks are lifted from their album back-catalogue. You do get singlesThe Greatest Flame as a new version of their 1993 and 1997 re-entry, alongwith a live Loch Lomond from the Earthhammer EP from 1991. CD closer, InSearch of Angel is a bonus track.
Highlights include the Gaelic Abhainn An T-Sluaigh with ethereal qualitiesand haunting vocals, and the equally stirring (check out the choir !) onAn Ubhal As Airde which was used in a Carling advert in the mid ’90s,probably more of a hymn than a song per se. Violins and a regular beat onProterra take them nearer their roots more than the others. Loch Lomond ispredictably brilliant as is the acoustic In Search Of Angels.
Interesting Runrig facts:
- First rock band to play on the banks of Loch Lomond
- Only band to have Top 20 hit in Gaelic
- Their song Running To The Light was chosen by Houston as a wake-up call onthe ill-fated Columbia Space Shuttle – astronaut Dr. Laurel Clark was a bigfan.
- Two members left to follow political careers: Peter Wishart is in the HouseOf Commons, and Donnie Munro became Rector of Edinburgh University.
Simply put on and enjoy the trip – it’s wonderful.
Weblink:Runrig.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Wall Of China
2. Empty Glens
3. The Greatest Flame (new version)
4. Book Of Golden Stories
5. Big Sky
6. Abhainn An T-Sluaigh
7. Maymorning
8. Alba9. Canada
10. An Ubhal As Airde
11. Proterra
12. Running To The Light
13. Recovery
14. Loch Lomond (Live)
15. The Old Boys
16. In Search Of Angels
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.