Customer Reviews

The Best Of Silly Wizard

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4 star:		(4)
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I remember this album when it was first released in 1985 and in the 18 years since, I have found few albums in the genre that rival it. It is a fantastic selection of Silly Wizard's work. The "Queen of Argyll" is my absolute favorite love song of all time with lyrics like "All the roses in the garden bow and ask their pardon for not one could match the beauty of the Queen of all Argyll". If that doesn't conjure the image of a red haired Scottish beauty strolling in a garden or meadow, I don't know what does. Amazon gives us a space of 1,000 words to express our opinion in a review, but ten times that many praises might begin to express how I feel about this album ... even after all these years since I first heard it.

This vintage Scottish band was featured on a compilation CD of Celtic music I purchased several years ago...the song "Queen of Argyl" is the one song that was featured and it made me HAVE to find other music by this band. If you like both traditional Scottish music and more contemporary music with Celtic elements, you have to listen to this group! The vocals are stirring, instrumentation is skillful...I wish I had been around when Silly Wizard was in its heyday. Search out their music...you won't be disappointed.

I was born in 1982, and my mom played Silly Wizard music for me (as well as the Chieftans and De Danaan) since before I knew what it was. I rediscovered Silly Wizard one day when I found the tape, "The Best of Silly Wizard," buried in a box somewhere. The songs are in a slightly different order than on the CD, but they're otherwise all the same, so I can assure you, this is a GREAT album.

The Silly Wizard sound is traditional Scottish fare, featuring the accordion, fiddle, flute, piano, guitar, and of course the pulsing bodhran, but they also have an electric bass, which they took a lot of heat for back in the day because it wasn't "traditional." Nevertheless, their music is fondly remembered today by those in the know as some of the best of its type.

A number of the songs are instrumentals- some, like "A.A. Cameron's Strathspey etc.", are fast, powerful pieces, which make you wanna stomp your feet. Then there's "The Pearl," a beautiful piece with a flute melody supported by a nice piano accompaniment. They're all excellent, but Silly Wizard DOES have a singer, and he has an excellent tenor. Indeed, some of the sung pieces are the most memorable- from the rousing "Donald McGillavry," and the charming "Isla Waters" (a song about how a friend will buy you drinks, but a GOOD friend will carry you home when you're drunk), to the mournful "The Valley of Strathmore" and the haunting "Fisherman's Song." Indeed, there's not a bad track on this CD, although I feel the weakest is definitely "The Broom o' the Cowdenknowes," which is a little too slow, too long. Fortunately, you'd be buying this as a CD, so YOU can skip it, whereas I have to fast=forward. But I usually don't, because it's still a pretty decent tune.

"The Best of Silly Wizard" is truly that- it's a must-have for any American who fancies himself a Celt, like myself, and I highly recommend it to anybody who wants to hear some truly timeless music.

I'm not sure this album represents all the "best" of Silly Wizard but it's an earthy, rollicking-good-romp all the same. Standout tracks include the rousing renditions of "Queen of Argyll" and "Donald McGillavry", the poignant "Valley of Strathmore" and "Finlay M. MacRae", and of course the virtuosic dances on tracks 3, 9 and 11. No booming bass here--the sound of this primarily accoustic band tends toward the treble side, featuring the finger-flying accordion playing of Phil Cunningham and the folksy tenor voice of Andy M. Stewart. But the well-crafted harmonic structures supporting their melodies are always engaging, holding a listener's attention and moving each piece along to a more than satisfying conclusion. Interestingly, like another of the group's Shanachie releases that I have ("Wild and Beautiful"), "Best of ..." begins with a wistful love song rather than an energetic dance set--a fitting opening considering the honest, heartfelt sentiment that Silly Wizard brings to their music. (I suppose the approach also hearkens back to the "days of yore", before albums were marketed via computer systems designed to grab maximum attention with only the first few listen-able tracks ...) On this recording, core group members Phil Cunningham, Andy M. Stewart, Martin Hadden and Gordon Jones are joined by guitarist Bob Thomas and fiddler Johnny Cunningham. For another "Best of"-style recording of this band's favorite works, try their 1988 Green Linnett recording, "Live Wizardry".

I'm a long-time fan of hybrid music. Hybrid music is a fancy way of saying "modern musicians ripping off the traditional songs." And my tastes ran from the Bad Livers (excellent bluegrass-punk) to the Pogues (whisky-soaked Irish folk rock, of course). But my explorations pulled me in a more traditional direction all the time.

Eventually, I found Silly Wizard, thanks to a friend who (like me) is proud of his Scottish ties. This album was the starting point for my Celtic traditional music obsession. And I feel like I owe that friend an amazing debt of gratitude.

Simply put, Silly Wizard are top notch musicians. This is what is lacking in so much of hybrid music... stellar musicianship. While the Pogues stumbled their drunken way through much of their pseudo-Celtic folk rock, Silly Wizard deftly and lovingly present the traditional tunes to a modern audience. The song Queen of Argyll is a particular joy to hear, and is played with style, vigor, and humor.

All of the tunes on this CD are gems, and I would encourage anyone who claims to enjoy Celtic, Traditional, or World music to listen to this CD. The only flaw is that there were too many instrumental pieces on this CD. I think a few more vocal tracks would have rounded out this CD nicely (not to imply that there aren't any vocal tracks... there are a few). But all in all, a well done disk from a band who deserves more recognition.

I love this CD, in fact this is my second copy, having worn the other one out completely. When I need a pick me up, this is the CD I reach for!

I bought The Best of Silly Wizard to get a copy of "The Valley of Strathmore," Andy Stewart's ballad done in the traditional style of Scottish music. The rest of the CD is just as fine. Makes one just pine for a wee bit of the Highlands!

These guys are amazing. This marvelous compilation captures Silly Wizard at their rambunctious peak. Right away you'll notice vocalist Andy M. Stewart is at his very best, as are they all. The songs on this CD are wonderful. The Fisherman's Song is a haunting song about men being lost at sea and the wives & children they leave behind. Here is a bit of the lyrics.

"By the storm-torn shoreline a woman is standing

The spray strung like jewels in her hair

And the sea tore the rocks near the desolate landing

as though it had known she stood there.

Chorus:

For she had come down to condemn that wild ocean

for the murderous loss of her man,

His boat sailed out on Wednesday morning

And it's feared it's gone down with all hands."

This CD is great. Grab one you'll be glad you did!

This album is my first from Silly Wizard, & well worth every penny.

A gifted group, with a fine vocalist. The instrumental performers aren't to be despised, either.

Their music is strongly Celtic Trad Folk, not new agey.

Recommended songs-"Donald McGillavry / O'Neill's Cavalry March", & "The Queen Of Argyll"

The Hipster gives it a Big Thumbs UP!

This is a GREAT CD! There are no mistakes, even though it has been recorded live! my favorite song has to be "The Blackbird", but i wrote a short story based on "The Banks of the Lee" another good song is "The Parish of Dukeld"