Review: Home Ground by The Battlefield Band

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

and beautifully crisp, was not for me. Track 5 is all quick-silver and obviously to the fans’ delight.

Side B reaches a natural ‘high’ with the well honed “Train Journey North”, and then on at this level to the “Rising Moon Reel” with Dougie Pinock, continuing to Track 5 and culminating with “Mrs MacLeod of Raasay” and “The Atholl Highlanders“, with a great ovation from the audience. A good tape, highly recommended.

Battlefield Band - “Music in Trust 2”

Temple Records. CTP029.

This is Battlefield in a different mould. Taking a trip through Scotland and time, full of memories and contrasts. Track 1 starts in traditional Scots style with fiddle in “The Laird of Brodie”, slipping easily into “Danzig Willie” and “The Merchant’s Jig”. This is followed on Track 2 by the poignant “A’Chlack Uaine”. Track 3 - “I Ha’e a Wife/Tarbolton Jig/Tarbolton Lodge” - full of rhythm and crispness, slowing into Track 4 with the haunting harp version of “The Massacre of Glencoe” changing into the Pibroch with just the right timing of the drones, prior to the sombreness of the Urlar with its classical theme of betrayal. Track 5 bounces through the medieval sound of “Falkland Palace” into “Lawers Loup”, “Miss Jane Fraser” and “Mrs Maule’s Reel”, then sweeping across to Arran and “Goat Fell”. Beautifully restrained Battlefield delightfully played and well recorded.

On Side B Track 1, to all who have stood alone on the lower platform below Corrieshalloch on a summer evening, listen and have a lump in your throat. This contrasts with the lightness of Track 2, “The Fruiting Branch” and D. Pinock’s fingering in “Gledstane’s March”. Nice touch! This is followed by the plaintive beauty of “Pitmedden”, - fine Battlefield this, which just slips into the jig and hornpipe on Track 4, “The Mote of Mark” and “Grey Mare’s Tail”. Track 6 has great piping in “Fingal’s Weeping”, “Maids of Kintail”, leading into the gentle “Hill House” and “Philosopher’s Chair”. A Scottish tapestry, colourful, contrasting and well woven. A great tape and highly recommended.

Iain MacFadyen - “Ceol Mor / Ceol Beag”

Temple Records. CTP018.

The name Iain MacFadyen is synonymous with quality and engenders great respect in the whole of the piping world. Tremendous authority and discipline are the hallmarks of his every performance. It was therefore with great pleasure and anticipation that I received this tape.

Side A, the Pibroch “Old Men of the Shells”: what a start to any piping

The Bagpipe Society

Review: Home Ground by The Battlefield Band