Review: A'Sireadh Spors by Angus MacDonald

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

Track 7 closes to two retreats in good traditional style with nice sounding seconds in “Colin’s Cattle” with a good straight “Heroes of Vittoria”.

A tape of obvious class and quality. My one reservation is of the balance of the pipes and drums, as this shows up quite noticeably with modern high dynamic range reproducing equipment.

Dr Angug MacDonald - “A’Sireadh Spors”

Temple Records. CTP043.

This is a very well recorded tape containing 70 tunes played with great dexterity and expertise. The heading “Wanting Fun” is apt, and Side A Track 1 is certainly a forewarning of fireworks to come. “Donald Willie and his Dog” was great. Track 3 march strathspey and reel “Dr Allan MacDonald/PM Hector MacLean/John Morrison of Assynt House” full of music and crisply played.

The following 5 Side A tracks of some 25 tunes, mainly strathspeys and reels, were played at an incredible speed, with reels up to 200-plus beats per minute, and strathspeys similarly speedy (up to 170bpm). Of the 70 tunes, both traditional and new, I felt comfortable and at ease with about a dozen, these mostly on Side B, starting with “The Man from Skye”, “Kenny Gillies of Portnalong” and “Lady in the Bottle” (not ‘on the’), picking out on Track 4 the march, strathspey and reel. “Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band” and on Track 6 the popular “John MacDonald’s Exercise”. I liked Track 7 with the marches “Inveran” and “John MacDoll’s March to Kilbowie Cottage” - inspirational! The other tunes, all played quite brilliantly and full of digital expertise and displaying impressive technique, left me with a feeling of over-exposure to the degree of under-appreciation. This is certainly a piping cadenza.

Battlefield Band - “Home Ground”

Temple Records. CTP034.

Possibly the top home roots folk band on the scene today, Battlefield in this live recording has registered yet another hit tape with this varied and obviously much appreciated performance, recorded as it was in concert in Aberdeen.

I liked the initial transition to the pipes in Track 1 “Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh”, then continuing in sparkling Battlefield style through to “The Roe’s among the heather”. This was confirmation that the lads had indeed ‘done it again’. I particularly liked the rendering of the Lothian “Yew Tree”, quite traditional and justly popular. “Farewell Johnny Miner” however, though apt and evocative

The Bagpipe Society

Review: A'Sireadh Spors by Angus MacDonald