Customer Reviews

Long Distance: Best of

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I'd heard of Runrig before, but I'd never knowingly listened to any of their music. A friend, knowing of my Celtic roots and love of all things Welsh, Irish, Scots, Nova Scotian etc, suggested I tried to find their geatest hits album. With time to kill in Auckland airport, New Zealand recently, I happened on this album in a record store. The CD has not been out of my laptop ever since! It's a wonderful collection of high intensity melodic rocky songs, blended with a Celtic overlay and Gaelic lyrics. Many of the songs are almost anthems, with a slow build up and great endings - the vocal lines are really haunting. Even Rhythm of my Heart (a song I associate with Rod Stewart) sounds great. Particular highlights are the first and last tracks, Glory Road and Loch Lomond, plus Rocket to the Moon, Alba and Protect & Survive. I've got a lot of greatest hits albums, but this one is a standout - every song stands alone! I'll certainly be going out to buy more albums if they're all as good as this.

This is some of the most fantastic music I have ever heard. The singing is done with incredible passion, and I do mean passion. From the gut. The music is awesome. Some of these songs make you want to get up and dance, others leave you with a tear, and some of the sounds simple speak to your soul. It did take awhile to get this cd, but the wait was DEFINITELY worth it! Gets my vote.

And I do mean it. There is quite a bit of Celtic folk-rock out there, and myself I think it's pretty darn good stuff. But I wasn't prepared for Runrig (and I just can't figure out why America hasn't caught on to them yet. A travesty, if you ask me). They're known for their passion, and for good reason. The people of Runrig are full of an extraordinary amount of life. They love it, they embrace the sad stuff and the strong stuff, both holding onto their strong Gaelic heritage and looking forward with, well, a lot of courage. One can't help but feel caught up in their sheer forcefulness.

As for the music, it's of the Scottish variety (the best), with pipes and other traditional instruments in addition to guitars and percussion. One characteristic of proper Celtic rock is the proliferation of good melody - there's not just sound, but sound with pattern and with strong grooves and chords. All in all, it makes one want to dance, and that's a better frame of mind than much of what I see today, I think.

This particular Runrig CD was largely compiled by fans, and thus is full of fan-favorites. There's not a track here that I wouldn't turn up the radio for, if radios played anything so good as this. The Glory Road sets the mood, and the final live tracks, Skye and Loch Lomond, end on pure thunder. You need to hear it. I feel a sense of sadness for everyone who hasn't heard Runrig, I truly do.

If you've found this page and my review, here is my simple advice--just buy this CD, sit back in a dimly lit room, close your eyes and be taken on a musical journey like few others. Listen to it three or four more times, THEN come back to the Runrig section and start buying more of their CDs--all of which are terrific, fantastic, wonderful, beautiful, etc., etc.

Runrig is so underrated, undervalued, unhearalded, and undiscovered it is pathetic. A number of years ago, I bought a compilation CD of a bunch of unknown artists. The one Runrig track on that CD was "Beautiful Pain." I wore out that track. I also misread the group's name as "Big Rig" and went on Amazon, hunting for CDs. Of course I found, nothing with that song. Then, in searching iTunes for some songs, I stumbled on "Beautiful Pain" by RUNRIG!!!!!! On to Amazon for some purchases. Two weeks later--with 12 Runrig CDs and their DVD--the power of my CD collection was infinitely upgraded.

Runrig is a mixture of the Waterboys, early Van Morrison, and Big Country, with superb vocals, storytelling themes, and instrumental playing that is outstanding--YOU CAN'T GO WRONG. Just follow my advice in the first paragraph. Buy this CD first, then go from there!!!

I had seen this CD when I was in Scotland but at the time I didn't really think much of it so I did not buy it. I was in Scotland in early May of this year. My brother bought one there and he said it was great so I looked around at my local music stores and of course no one had it. So I went to Amazon. com and ordered it and WOW!!! what a CD I highly reccomend it. 17 songs on a CD it's like there greatest hits CD. Wonderful.

I had the honor of not only living and working in Scotland for almost a year, but seeing Runrig at Sterling Castle for their 30th Anniversary tour. I grew up to booking agent parents through the 80's and 90's and woke up to Janis Joplin on the Stereo every morning as loud as my mother could get it. I've been a musician for over 30 years.

So, I know music and therefore when I say Runrig is incredible, I mean they're INCREDIBLE. I've been to hundreds of concerts over the years including Clapton, Santana, SRV, Motley Crue, etc. Groups and musicians known for their stage shows. But Runrig blew them all away on the grounds of Sterling Castle. It was by far the finest group of musicians together on a stage I've ever had the honor to see. My only regret was that I couldn't have my son there to see them with me.

Buy this CD. You won't regret it. Of all the CD's they have out, this one is out on top. Their live version of Loch Lomond, which I first heard on the shores of that same Loch, will bring tears to your eyes and fill you with Pride if you've got any Gaelic blood in you at all. If not, you'll love it anyway. I guarantee it'll be the best couple of bucks you've ever spent. After buying this CD, I ordered every one I could get my hands on including European imports and DVD's. Their live DVD of the 30 year concert is unreal.

SPEND THE MONEY!!!! IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!