Customer Reviews

Time & Tide

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

 

 

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!

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!

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.

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.

"Time & Tide" makes an excellent first Battlefield Band CD for someone who has never heard the group before. It also makes a great addition to anyone's current Battlefield Band collection.

I have been a fan of the Battlefield Band for a long time, and own almost all of their albums. The only reason I had not bought "Time and Tide" earlier is because I had heard bad things about it from reviews. I'm not sure what those negative reviews were talking about but I liked it! The harmonies and sounds of whistles, pipes, fiddles, and other stringed instruments along with Alan's great ability to write songs based on classic Celtic themes (like whiskey, haha) make this a solid Battlefield Band album. Being a hopeless historian, "Camden Town" is my favorite track, telling me a story from the land of my ancestors in a style that remains true to the Scots-Irish tradition. It has made for some great listening, along with all the other albums of the Battlefield Band.

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!