Time and Tide

Time and Tide

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In the 25 years since the release of its first album, the Battlefield Band has become something of a Scottish Celtic music institution. It's also undergone as many personnel changes as Spinal Tap. Time & Tide showcases yet another new lineup, with the sole remaining original member, keyboardist-accordionist Alan Reid, joined by guitarist Pat Kilbride, bagpiper Mike Katz, and fiddler player Alasdair White. However, it's such a seamless, enchanting disc of traditional Scottish music that you'd never know this was the quartet's first album together. The disc starts--as most Battlefield Band albums do--with a rollicking instrumental medley that neatly joins the traditional "Chuir I Gluin Air a Bhodach (She Put a Knee in the Old Man)" with three original compositions. From there, the band's mix of freshly arranged versions of traditional Celtic melodies with original compositions succeeds once again in showing respect for the Celtic tradition without turning the music into a museum piece. Indeed, the greatest joy of Time & Tide is how fresh the band sounds. Even a centuries-old classic like "Nancy's Whiskey" is given a lively new spin in Reid's arrangement. The other highlights here--like White's gorgeous fiddle work on the title track, the odd-metered and musically impressive "Banais Choinnich" (Kenneth's Wedding), and Katz's phenomenal bagpiping on "MacFarlane's Rant"--emphasize that, while the lineup may shift over time, the Battlefield Band hasn't lost its touch. --Ezra Gale

Tracks:

Promises
Run For Cover
Time And Tide
Freeze Thaw
From Now On
New Day For You
Prime Time TV
Astrud
How Dare You
Miles Away

Customer Reviews:

Time and Tide - Basia.......2007-06-13

This album rocks! She is great!

who could resist this?.......2006-06-13

The debut solo album from Basia (last name Trzetrzelewska) continues her collaboration with Danny White, the two of whom had previously done an album together as members of the group Matt Bianco (1984's "Who's Side Are You On?"). And what a pairing the two of them are! This album is simply superb.

First of all, Basia is out of this world as a vocalist. She's got a total command of her huge, riveting voice, alternating brilliantly between tender, seductive passages and powerful, thrilling climaxes, and she does so without ever slipping over into show-biz schmaltz. She's got a huge vocal range that she gets a ton of mileage out of. Although the liner notes don't explicitly say so, I believe Basia also handles ALL of the harmony vocals on the entire CD, and she's brilliant at this as well.

Basia and her "silent partner" Danny White produced the album, and they also handled all of the songwriting except for Peter Ross' lyrics on 5 of the songs (including the US top 10 adult contemporary hits "Promises" and "New Day For You").

Basically the whole album runs on pure inspiration and class. There are loads of great instrumental flavorings such as the sudden blasts of 'xylophone' (synthesizer?) on "Run For Cover", moody 'clavinet' that comes in on the second verse of "Freeze Thaw", vibraphone on "New Day For You", funky electric guitar on "Prime Time TV", Fender Rhodes-style keyboards on many of the songs, and on & on.

On the one hand, this is a dance-pop album, with a majority of the songs being uptempo and beat-oriented--the sassy "Run For Cover", the raging "Freeze Thaw", the upbeat yet contemplative "New Day For You" (with an orgasmic extended high note, plus a three chord keyboard groove later 'borrowed' by George Michael for "Too Funky"), and the slyly humorous "Prime Time TV" (partly reminiscent of "Dance Hall Days" by Wang Chung) are all mind-bogglingly catchy and infectious. At the same time, this is a mature adult contemporary pop album, with lots of fun and witty lyrics and barely anything that even remotely resembles sappiness. Songs such as "Promises" and "New Day For You", as their respective chart placings indicate, fall easily into both categories.

Unlike a lot of dance-pop records, this one DOESN'T come to a grinding halt with the ballads. Actually, the only time they really slow the tempo is on the hit title track, an excellently tuneful ballad. Other quasi-ballads like the breezy, stripped-down "From Now On" and the Astrud Gilberto tribute "Astrud" give you something of a breather from the more rousing tracks, and yet they're taken at brisk tempos and saturated with Latin rhythms, and like virtually everything, these songs are wonderfully melodic and catchy.

Anything at all to complain about? Well, very minor stuff. Basia's warning cries of "I'll get mad!" on the swinging "How Dare You" are corny, but otherwise the song is in the same league as the aforementioned dance-pop gems contained herein. "Promises" has a slightly sugary, repeated chorus, but it's still a darn fine way to start the album. And the album-closer, the gently-swinging "Miles Away", in perfectly fine song, but it reeks ever-so-slightly of being a forced attempt to end the album on an upbeat feel-good note. These are just minor gripes of an overall terrific CD.

As an interesting sidenote, Danny White is the younger brother of Peter White. Peter, who is probably best-known for his lengthy association with Al Stewart, even appears on this record--witness his unmistakable acoustic guitar solo on "Promises".

Simply put, Basia is irresistible on this album, and if you're a music lover, "Time And Tide" is a must-have.

An oldie but goodie.......2006-03-21

Love this cd is the 80's and Love it even more today!

Phyllis
Tampa Florida

A genuine..........2006-02-01

A genuine masterpiece. This LP doesn't require "growing on you". You'll find your very pupils dialating with the first listen. From the opening to the close. You'll be depressive that the greatness is over, but don't fret, repeat. This album should require a disclaimer on it's greatness. You'll love this LP for it's swooning ballads with hooks to the pop frenzy of fun. This LP never dates. It's truly as fine as wine.

Possibly The coolest album in the World.......2005-09-28

I'm not really good at reviewing things but for what its worth this is the best thing she's done, the songs are are all one off pieces of magic, Seems to get better every time you play it. If it doesn't sound good time to change the hi fi

Average customer rating:

One of the best Split Enz albums

Time and Tide
Split Enz
Manufacturer: Mushroom Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Australia & New Zealand | International | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Corroboree
True Colours
Frenzy
Conflicting Emotions
Dizrythmia

ASIN: B000M7FOIO
Release Date: 2007-02-12

Tracks:

Dirty Creature
Giant Heartbeat
Hello Sandy Allen
Never Ceases to Amaze Me
Lost for Words
Small World
Take a Walk
Pioneer
Six Months in a Leaky Boat
Haul Away
Log Cabin Fever
Make Sense of It

Customer Reviews:

One of the best Split Enz albums.......2007-04-18

They never truly hit it big in America but Split Enz should have. Perhaps it was the make-up and stage shows or just a matter of timing. Regardless, they left us a series of fun, perplexing, great sounding albums. "Time and Tide" the best of the Finn-Finn era of the Enz sounds even better than before. I've always loved "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" but there are many more gems here from both Tim and Neil beyond that marvelous single.

This remaster (done by former Enz Eddie Rayner)sounds terrific. Unlike a lot of remasters the sound quality isn't sacrificed just to make it sound LOUD. We get the entire album (a pity that there aren't any outtakes, demos or alternate tracks included)in a digipak (for the first edition. Later editions will, reportedly, be in jewel boxes although THIS review is for the digipak version). Lyrics are included but we don't get any notes on the creation of the fine album which is a minor drawback. Nevertheless Enz fans will probably know the circumstances all around its creation.

The CD has been cleverly designed to resemble a vinyl version of the original Aussie-NZ release of the album. The Enz truly never got any better than this and although they would put out two more studio albums (Tim left before their last album "See Ya Around". The next album "Conflicting Emotions" titled after Tim's feelings about leaving the band behind for a solo career would feature Neil's superb "Message for My Girl" and Tim's wistful "Bon Voyage")they could have quit right here and their legacy would be insured.

I'd highly recommend this terrific album and the remaster IS worth picking up for the richer, warmer sound that Rayner has managed to capture on CD.

Average customer rating:

Fabulous
Strange Days, Indeed
One of the best
"Prog Emo" before the term existed
beautiful, incredible, spiritual, engrossing, uplifting

The Rising Tide
Sunny Day Real Estate
Manufacturer: Time Bomb
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

The Fire Theft
World Waits
Live
OK Computer
Wiretap Scars

ASIN: B00004TQSN
Release Date: 2000-06-20

Tracks:

Killed By An Angel
One
Rain Song
Disappear
Snibe
The Ocean
Fool In The Photograph
Tearing In My Heart
Television
Faces In Disguise
The Rising Tide

Amazon.com

When the defunct Sunny Day Real Estate regrouped for How It Feels to Be Something On in 1998, the band's fans were divided. Some saw it as a collection of frontman Jeremy Enigk's most potent songs, and others dismissed it because it didn't sound like the band's previous efforts. The Rising Tide will probably thin the herd even more, not because it's a bad album but because the band once again has gone traipsing through the fields to find a new pasture in which to graze. Tide engages their emo-antics with the kind of seven-cornered songs that made up Enigk's solo release, Return of the Frog Queen, but this time they're topped with a dose of progressive-rock overdrive. It sounds a bit hard to swallow, but producer Lou Giordano deserves a hand for making a shift of sound go down smooth. --Jason Josephes

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous.......2007-06-20

I'm new to this band and thrilled to have found them. Reminds me a little of Flaming Lips. Lovely harmonic progressions, singing, sounds, and lyrics. I will now proceed to purchase every other CD by this band.

Strange Days, Indeed.......2007-01-31

I was absolutely obsessed with this CD when it came out back in 2000. This is one of those "artistic statement" albums that are difficult to pigeonhole into a category. Their music is so subversive and unusual while simultaneously being so melodic and familiar that you can almost imagine record company execs puzzling over it's marketability with furrowed brows.

Sunny Day Real Estate play a sort of post-modern alternative rock that is both original and intelligent, like an even more surreal and nihilistic Radiohead. Frontman Jeremy Enigck lays down very melodic but eerie-sounding reverb-drenched vocals over a layered, dissonant wall of distorted guitar textures, creating a very unique and dreamlike vibe. Combined with the surrealist poetic lyrics which somehow manage to be disturbing, hallucinogenic and existentialist yet hopeful at times, the overall feel of the album is very compelling and original. Bo one quite sounds like this band. The songwriting and musicianship are also top-notch, with enough hooks to get stuck in your head, but enough use of unusual chord voicings, time changes, and skillful manipulation of effects to be interesting to progressive music fans-something not often found in your standard alt-rock "emo" album. This album has the avant-garde vibe of Radiohead's "Kid A" with better songwriting, musicianship and lyrics and without the pretense. Very, very highly recommended.

One of the best.......2006-11-04

I actually discovered Sunny Day Real Estate thanks to their track on the Batman Forever soundtrack. But it is this album which made them one of my favorite bands. Killed by an Angel, One, Snibe are incredible songs that you will enjoy right away, but the rest of the album is just as good. Unfortunately I got into this band after they already split up so I never got to see them in concert. Classic.

"Prog Emo" before the term existed.......2006-08-09

In hindsight, it seems impossible that the Sunny Day Real Estate whose post-hardcore early years inspired every horrible emo band on Earth could've been the same Sunny Day Real Estate that recorded "The Rising Tide." Sonically speaking, the group that made "The Rising Tide" -- here once more a trio, after being unable to find a permanent bassist -- is to emo as Rush is to the twee-pop. Indeed, Rush provides the ideal reference point for a review of SDRE's fourth album: Sounding higher-pitched and more British-affected than ever, bassist Jeremy Enigk's vocals hit Geddy Lee territory throughout "The Rising Tide." Guitarist Dan Hoerner's chord progressions eclipse Alex Lifeson's most visceral work in standout tracks such as "Killed by An Angel" and "One." Enigk's and Hoerner's lyrics -- earnestly decrying complacency, greed and other social ills -- at times sound ripped from Neil Peart's poetry diaries. And William Goldsmith's drumming, while not as rigidly asymmetric as that of Peart, puts complex grooves and accents in all the right places. It's as if SDRE were trying to make every album they thought Rush should've cut after "Moving Pictures" -- simultaneously dark, textural, riff-based and cliche-free, and yet filled with the sort of grand, sweeping gestures and lofty arrangements one usually finds in vintage prog.

beautiful, incredible, spiritual, engrossing, uplifting.......2006-01-16

i wouldn't believe a negative word you hear about this album. i'm a sdre fan and i enjoy their albums as well, but this is the first one i heard and it's captivated me from the first listens. i've listened to it a million times and it never fails to leave me uplifted - it's like a breath of fresh air.. but it rocks! the band is just really amazing here.. i would go so far as to say it's sdre at their VERY BEST. this is their PEAK. some people claim it's too prog-ish, and yes, it does bear a resemblance to rush due to the high vocals and prominent bass, but who cares? the songs are amazing. it's also interesting to see how their sound evolved through their different albums to end up here.

Average customer rating:

Final album, and still going strong
La-la-la
Has Its Moments

Time & Tide
Greenslade
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00002516E
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Animal Farm
Newsworth
Time
Tide
Catalan
Flattery Stakes
Waltz for a Fallen Idol
Ass's Ear
Doldrums
Gangsters

Customer Reviews:

Final album, and still going strong.......2006-08-21

1975's Time & Tide marked the end of Greenslade, as a band (although there would be a reunion in 2000). After this, Dave Greenslade pursued a solo career (including Cactus Choir, as well as the notorious The Pentateuch of the Cosmogony with the elaborate packaging). At this point, Tony Reeves was out of the band, with a new bassist Martin Briley. As you can tell from the album liner notes that the whole band does not always participate on all the cuts. There are the band cuts, but there are a couple cuts where it was entirely Dave Greenslade or entire Dave Lawson. Well, as usual, Dave Lawson's singing is still an acquired taste, as it tends to be high pitched and strained (which seemed strange, because when he was in a band called Samurai in 1971, he had a mellower, lower and more pleasant voice). As you noticed, the songs are now shorter, than say what was on Bedside Manners are Extra. I believe the band was trying to sell a few copies or perhaps get a hit, but they still hadn't forsakened their progressive rock, just that they are doing it in a shorter context. "Animal Farm" is the opening which sounds more like '70s rock than prog rock. The next song continues in the same vein, but then they start moving on to other groud as the album progresses. "Time" is Dave Greenslade's piece, with him providing harpsichord, with a male chorus. This piece seems to have a more medieval feel than the rest of the album. "Tide" is another Dave Greenslade piece, all played by Mr. Greenslade himself, with some really amazing Mellotron and electric piano. Unfortunately, Greenslade's Mellotron usage had really dropped by this point, because it was only used on one other cut on this album, "Catalan", which was the following cut. Now this piece has a much stronger Spanish feel, I can't help but be reminded of those prog bands from Spain that flirted with flamenco, like Triana or Mezquita. Dave Lawson gives us "Doldrums", which is 100% Lawson, all the keyboard and vocals. It's a truly stunning ballad, done prog style (that is, totally lacking the cheesiness that too many ballads would often have), dominated by his use of electric piano. The closing piece, "Gangsters", from some British TV show or movie is a fantastic closer with a funky feel, especially from the use of clavinet.

The cover artwork this time around was from Patrick Woodrooffe, a guy who was Roger Dean's serious rival, but he didn't do as so many album covers, the others being Dave Greenslade's own Pentateuch of the Cosmogony (1979), Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), and Scottish neo-proggers Pallas with The Sentinel (1984), plus I believe he did a cover for Yes on one of their '90s albums. But you noticed that Woodwrooffe was capable of many of those same surrealistic sci-fi covers that Roger Dean had done. And let's not forget about Dean himself, who did the artwork to the first two Greenslade albums, as well as Dave Greenslade's first solo album, Cactus Choir.

Anyway, after Time & Tide came out, Greenslade (the band) called it a day, realizing the punk and disco scene was about to wipe out the kind of music that they (and too many other prog rock bands of the time) had been doing, but of course that didn't stop Dave Greenslade himself to continuing on solo, for a couple of albums, before going on to other things. Anyway, Time & Tide is an excellent album, and nice to see them still going strong right to the end.

La-la-la.......2006-02-21

There, there, Mr Lawson. Don't let the bullies grind you down. If your vocals are an acquired taste then I have long since acquired it. I may not understand much of what you're singing about but I defend to the death your right to sing about it incomprehensibly. Well, fisticuffs at dawn at least, if not pistols.

I always liked this album. The songs are just the right length, exhubarent in delivery and very musical, whatever that means. 'Doldrums' is one of the most beautiful songs ever written and I recommend Time and Tide for that alone.

Has Its Moments.......2004-10-01

Greenslade was a band that had tons of potential, but never got really close to what they were capable of. One of the reasons was Dave Lawson, not so much his instrumetnal skills, but rather his obnoxiously AWFUL vocals (he sounded like an angry Bobcat on its last legs). If they had just shut up and played they would've gotten a lot further in the prog realm.

The best tracks here are the instrumentals with lots of intricate counterpoint, colorful textures and cool changes of meter and tempo. Keyboardist/leader Dave Greenslade is a serious talent who never got the recognition he deserved. His cohorts were no less capable (love Andrew McCollough's drumming especially).

To boot, this disc was an attempt to get a more streamlined/saleable sound, however, it was for naught.

Digital Jukebox - John Williams & The Boston Pops

Average customer rating:

Digital Jukebox Boston Pops
This cd is one of the best orchestra cds ever

Digital Jukebox - John Williams & The Boston Pops

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000040ZN
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Those Were The Days
Never On Sunday
More From 'Mondo Cane'
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
The Girl From Ipanema
Summer Of '42 (The Summer Knows)
Mack The Knife
Where Is Your Heart (From 'Moulin Rouge')
Classical Gas
Theme From 'The Pink Panther'
Ebb Tide
Tijuana Taxi
Days Of Wine And Roses
Theme From 'A Summer Place'
Unchained Melody
Ciribiribin
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

Customer Reviews:

Digital Jukebox Boston Pops.......2000-09-15

Fantastic Music and as always Fantastic sound!!

This cd is one of the best orchestra cds ever.......2000-07-24

Wow! What a good job John Williams et al did on this cd. I have bought a lot of cds over the years and usually i find there are only a few songs that i truly like on these cds. On this particular cd, all the songs are among my fovorite songs. The orchestra never sounded better. What a great thrill it is for me to listen to this cd time and time again. This cd is one that you should never get tired of. Please buy this cd and discover the joy of this beautiful music.

Average customer rating:

OK - so I am an addict
At Their Best!
Time & Tide was Terrific
New CD, new mark of excellence!
Still Going Strong!

Time and Tide
Battlefield Band
Manufacturer: Temple Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Out for the Night
Leaving Friday Harbor
The Road of Tears
The Best of Battlefield Band/Temple Records: A 25 Year Legacy
Opening Moves

ASIN: B00006IGIE
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Tracks:

Chuir I Gluin Air A Bhodach (She Put A Knee In The Old Man)/DJ MacLeod's/The Ness Pipers/The Earl Of Space
Nancy's Whisky
If Cadillac Made Tractors/Happy Birthday Fiona/MacFarlane's Rant
Camden Town
James Cameron/Fosgail An Doras/The Skylark's Ascension
Time And Tide
The Bonny Jeannie Deans
The Walking Nightmare/Drive Home The Mainlanders/The Mill House
Rothesay Bay
Banais Choinnich/Eileen MacDonald/Welcome The Piper
Sunset
Whiskey From The Field/Volcanic Organic

Amazon.com

In the 25 years since the release of its first album, the Battlefield Band has become something of a Scottish Celtic music institution. It's also undergone as many personnel changes as Spinal Tap. Time & Tide showcases yet another new lineup, with the sole remaining original member, keyboardist-accordionist Alan Reid, joined by guitarist Pat Kilbride, bagpiper Mike Katz, and fiddler player Alasdair White. However, it's such a seamless, enchanting disc of traditional Scottish music that you'd never know this was the quartet's first album together. The disc starts--as most Battlefield Band albums do--with a rollicking instrumental medley that neatly joins the traditional "Chuir I Gluin Air a Bhodach (She Put a Knee in the Old Man)" with three original compositions. From there, the band's mix of freshly arranged versions of traditional Celtic melodies with original compositions succeeds once again in showing respect for the Celtic tradition without turning the music into a museum piece. Indeed, the greatest joy of Time & Tide is how fresh the band sounds. Even a centuries-old classic like "Nancy's Whiskey" is given a lively new spin in Reid's arrangement. The other highlights here--like White's gorgeous fiddle work on the title track, the odd-metered and musically impressive "Banais Choinnich" (Kenneth's Wedding), and Katz's phenomenal bagpiping on "MacFarlane's Rant"--emphasize that, while the lineup may shift over time, the Battlefield Band hasn't lost its touch. --Ezra Gale

Customer Reviews:

OK - so I am an addict.......2002-12-10

For those who are new to the Battlefield Band and wondering - This is a great representative selection of what this band is about - furthering Scotch folk music while recognizing the traditions. Just try it and see - and if you don't like this then perhaps think twice about other Scotch folk because this represents great modern tradition. If you want older tradition then try their 1977 album "The Battlefield Band" because they used to play the older stuff too - then go try the other 15 albums in between and you will get introduced to the great growth of a modern tradition. Your purchase of the 2002 Time and Tide might then grow back on you!

For existing fans - Just saw their last gig of the 2002 tour of USA last night. They played most of this album and were tight and the usual TOTALLY crafted musicians. Sounds like I got a better night than the reviewer who saw them on a hot 9th July! Alasdair is a real asset on fiddle offering wonderful bowing with fresh perspectives with runs back into traditional sequences - He also plays bouzourki, whistles and GHBpipes too! As they meld on in their (now 25 year) existence the sleeve notes gleefully note - the band has been around longer than some of the present and past members! So for those used to them transmogifying their way along - this is a good one - go get it!

At Their Best!.......2002-10-09

Other reviewers have already raved about this new Battlefield Band album. I'll simply reaffirm their recommendation. Time & Tide ranks close to Leaving Friday Harbor in its instrumental virtuosity. The song texts are perhaps a little less special than those of LFH, but the use of two male singers, each with his own emotional timbre, lends the album a lot of variety. No other group achieves such subtlety with pub songs and work ballads.

Time & Tide was Terrific.......2002-09-29

We just received this new BB CD and it is terrific. Their Soundman, Rob Van Sante, has done a remarkable job to produce twelve well balanced tracks. Your reviewer is right on; describing another new lineup but the same fabulous quality to which we've become accustomed. Pat Kilbride returns to the Battys with two great numbers (Camden Town and Whiskey). Alasdair White is the newest member and shows off his melodic fiddling as well as several of his own tunes. Alan Reid continues to impress followers of the group with his beautiful voice, rich keyboard sound, and new delightful songs with every new CD. Mike Katz continues to amaze us all with his brisk, rapid, and clear piping. His whistle playing continues to improve and a couple of tunes are chilling with chords of several whistles. Truly a fun, well balance, worthwhile album. Enjoy!

New CD, new mark of excellence!.......2002-09-28

I found out B.B. was going to release this CD about four months ago and have since been waiting with great anticipation. And even though UPS tried to crush my package during shipment, I got my copy a few hours ago and have since been relishing the audio joy. First, let me assure everyone that the Band has delivered greatness once again. It's new and old, different but the same all at once. This CD seems tighter and the songs are faster than the past couple releases; The softer element, as presented in "Happy Daze", has been mostly cleared for this sharper edge. Every member performs flawlessly, but the one that stands out most to me is Alasdair (and I'm a bagpipe addict!). Speaking of which, I wish Mike had more [bagpipe] solos! Lastly, let me note that if you've seen the band perform recently you've probably already heard many of these songs. I saw them in Leesburg, VA on 9 June and they played a bunch of new songs. Then, upon my first listening of the CD, I wondered why they seemed vaguely familiar; I think they sound better on the CD than they did on that hot day in June, fortunately.

So, the set goes like this...
Track 1 is your typical rollicking launch song meant to snatch your attention. Everyone gets their part in, as well as the necessary group action. I listened to the MP3 [on Temple's Web site] a couple times and even that doesn't sound as good as the CD cut.
#2 is about a weaver in Ayrshire who overindulges in a certain beverage. It's a good little song from Alan.
#3 is one of the better tracks, I believe. The title is quirky but the song/medley is superb. This is one track where, if you are not already in awe of Alasdair's talent, you soon will be.
#4 is sung by Pat, whose voice I don't enjoy quite as much as Alan's, but whom can still sculpt a good song.
#5 starts off with some whistles, then brings in Alasdair, then Mike on bagpipes. It's somewhat fast, and will definitely have you tapping your desk.
#6 is a slower one from Alasdair, written with the spirit of his hometown.
#7... I didn't warm up to this one much when I heard it live, but here it's pretty snappy. It's about a famous steamer ship that Alan rode and fell in love with when he was young.
#8 has another strange title, but again the song itself is excellent. It begins with Pat then soon incorporates Alasdair; the next bit is a little better, and the last bit better yet. Would make fine accompaniment for coffee in the morning.
#9 is probably the one I'd pick as my "least favorite", I suppose. Not that it's bad whatsoever, it just sticks out against the other more upbeat tunes.
#10 begins with a nice little piece from Alasdair, then moves into one of Mike's few solo bits, and finishes with a cool bit with the whole line-up with Mike leading the way.
#11... okay, here's another slow one -- as one may assume from the title. Excellent bedtime / meditative / soothing stuff.
#12 wraps up the album in a good way. What's funny about this song is that Pat sounds like a Irish Randy Newman (and yes, he's Irish, not Scottish). It's a good flowing song. The instrumental bit (the last minute) puts Alasdair at the forefront again to leave you with a delightful tune bouncing around in your head as you go on about your day.

Ultimately, I place this album in the ranks as one of the Band's best -- and I say that trying to be as critical as possible. The songs are good, original (everyone has contributed at least one piece, and even the adopted songs feature an original slant), and will get your feet moving -- if not everything else. The playing is crisp in every aspect and fiddle afficionados, in particular, will be catapulted into bliss. This album is on par with "Happy Daze" (formerly my solid favorite), but they are notably different albums, so it's difficult (and unfair) to compare them beyond a general sense. Anyway, give your ears a gift and pick this one up!

Still Going Strong!.......2002-09-26

Despite undergoing yet another reincarnation, Battlefield Band continues to move forward in traditional (and sometimes not so traditional!) Scottish music. Whether they are playing the old, traditional tunes or their own original tunes, finding different adaptation of old songs ("Nancy's Whiskey"), or performing their own original songs ("The Bonny Jeannie Deans"), Battlefield Band continues to be at the forefront of Scottish traditional groups. The music of this band changes and grows each time the band grows and changes, and this album is no different: once again, they are exploring what it means to play the music as well as what it means to be Battlefield Band, and doing it a way that leaves their music truly accessible to all comers.

From the contemplative "Time and Tide" to the near frenetic "The Walking Nightmare" to the just plain fun "Whisky from the Field", the band, with their varied instrumentations, shows exactly what it takes to be successful: a true love and devotion to the music. It is apparent that the band truly loves what they are doing and are having FUN. Too many groups have pigeonholed themselves into a specific genre, and while Battlefield is definitely true to tradition, they are not afraid to move past some of those artificial boundaries and explore the music for the music's sake.