Customer Reviews

This Strange Place

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"This Strange Place" is yet another astonishing work of art from Celtic music masters, Wolfstone. While some of the members' names may have changed, this group's original, resonating and haunting style certainly have not. Wolfstone finds a lodestone of inspiration for their inventive melodies in Inverness, with which they have sculpted ten new songs for their audience's pleasure. This album, as any have come to expect from the band, carefully molds traditional Celtic techniques of performance with modern styles of presentation. Once again, a joyful listener will find comfort in primal bass rhythms coupled with absolute toe-tapping harmonies. A masterpiece that is a must-have of true Celtic music lovers.

Experience Scotland's energetic pride! Jig through The Wild Monkey Dance (which takes primal urges to a new height) and Black Eyed Jam and lament through lost human relationships with Let Them Sing and Till I Sleep. A heartwarming and genuine album that is an absolute necessity for Wolfstone fans and a true loss to Celtic music lovers who do not possess this beautiful artifact.

Ignore the 1-star reviews of this album. Those crybaby critiques are all due to the lack of crunchy electric guitar. It's the ol' "The band calmed down for one album, so I hate them!" routine. True, it's no "Half Tail," but there are many mighty fine tunes on here that make it more than worth the purchase price. It gets very respectable rotation in my machine. "Till I Sleep" is utterly lovely, as is "Banks of the Ness." I would not want a CD collection that was without these two songs. "Harlequin," "Kazakhstan," & "The Arab Set" are fun instrumentals that are perfectly up to Wolfstone standards.

First let me say that Wolfstone is, in my opinion, one of Scotland's national treasures. Due to geography, I've never seen them in concert, but from the music I've heard and from the raves of others who have attended their live performances, it's an experience.

Wolfstone's great strength is synthesis: Taking old folk tunes and classic instruments and bringing them into the modern age. (Can't say as I've ever heard another band with both bagpipes and electric guitars.) They draw from the placid oil well of tradition, pour it into their engine, and kick into high gear. It's what attracted me to the band in the first place.

As such, "This Strange Place" caught me off guard. Broadly speaking, it's much more melodic, fluid, and passive than any of their earlier releases. (They've gotten a little fire back with "Seven", but their other albums, especially "Half Tail," are much more hard-driving.)

If this were my only Wolfstone album, I would undoubtedly rate it higher. "Till I Sleep" has got to be my single most beloved Wolfstone song; its quiet piano accompaniment and haunting lyrics are inspirational. But I've heard what Wolfstone is capable of, their fire and frenzy, and I find I prefer that to the soft reflectiveness of "This Strange Place."

I have every previous album by this band and bought it expecting something up to the level of _Year of the Dog_ or _The Half Tail._ Though not bad, it doesn't live up to its promise. The drumming is unimaginative, and the Eaglesham brothers, whose playing (I now realize) propelled the band are not in evidence. Not bad in and of itself, but not up to the precendent set by its predecessors.

What a great group. This Grandma has heard none better. Rock on guys

I first heard of Wolfstone when I attended a folk festival some years ago. I was very impressed by their melodic folk rock, so when I heard of their new CD "Strange Place" I was really looking forward to it. But after listening to the CD the first time I was very disappointed. It rather sounds like boring pop with a celtic influence, not like the lively Wolfstone tunes I expected. All in all, it's a rather poor Album, I cannot recommend it.

I first heard of Wolfstone when I attended a folk festival some years ago. I was very impressed by their melodic folk rock, so when I heard of their new CD "Strange Place" I was really looking forward to it. But after listening to the CD the first time I was very disappointed. It rather sounds like boring pop with a celtic influence, not like the lively Wolfstone tunes I expected. All in all, it's a rather poor Album, I cannot recommend it.

I bought this album hoping that the old Wolfstone had produced another hard-hitting disc after a year or two off. However, I was sadly mistaken, as this cd is horrible in comparison to their others, and compared to other celtic albums as well. I would not recommend it at all, but at the same time, I HIGHLY recommend Year of the Dog, The Half Tail, Pick of the Litter, and Seven....all by Wolfstone. Enjoy

I bought this album hoping that the old Wolfstone had produced another hard-hitting disc after a year or two off. However, I was sadly mistaken, as this cd is horrible in comparison to their others, and compared to other celtic albums as well. I would not recommend it at all, but at the same time, I HIGHLY recommend Year of the Dog, The Half Tail, Pick of the Litter, and Seven....all by Wolfstone. Enjoy