Breabach - The Desperate Battle of the Birds

This is the second CD from Breabach, a frighteningly capable young Scots band who already have several tours, lots of festivals and Celtic Connections to their credit. They’re a modern sounding band, but firmly rooted in their tradition, which they clearly understand very well.

They are: Calum MacCrimmon, (highland bagpipe, whistles, backing vocals), Patsy Reid, (5 string fiddle, vocals), Ewan Robertson, (guitar, vocals), and Donal Brown, (highland bagpipe, flute and whistles, stepdance).

All have an impressive list of musical achievements, and together have the feel and assurance you only get from musicians who enjoy their music, enjoy playing together and are band that’s well “run in” and very comfortable in itself.

“The Desperate Battle of the Birds” is the kind of CD that is very difficult to review, because it’s so good. The eleven tracks are split between tune sets and songs, the two merging seamlessly into a whole. Instruments and musicians fit together very well, with no one dominating to the detriment of the whole. Breabach not only have an excellent ear for a good tune or song but go on to arrange and play it very well indeed.

Jigs and reels are played at the speed they were meant to be played at, as dance music rather than a chance to demonstrate how many notes they can play per second (rather a lot as it happens, but only when called for). Nor do they rely on their mastery of instrumental technique alone - they’re also first class musicians. The singing has a maturity that belies their years as well, and Patsy Reid’s singing of Allan Taylor’s The Morning Lies Heavy deserves special recommendation as does their take on Ewan McColl’s Shoals of Herring. It’s a brave decision to record a song that’s so familiar (I nearly said “too familiar”), but Breabach’s quite un-McColl-like relaxed version gives much-needed fresh life and interest to the song. As for the tune sets, the air The Waterhorse’s Lament has some really spine-tingling piping, and the opening track has three jigs played exactly how such tunes should be.

The overall impression of “The Desperate Battle of the Birds” is one of smooth, relaxed, tasteful high-quality musicianship. In fact the only thing I’d say about this CD that isn’t entirely complimentary is that it’s possibly a little too smooth and polite. Breabach are a storming live band, but a little of their live energy been smoothed away during the studio process. It’s still a bloody good CD though. The next time someone comes out with any of the tired old derogatory “jokes” about highland pipes I suggest playing them this.
Tim Willets
BRE001CD www.breabach.com breabach|@|yahoo.co.uk