I was hoping there might be another Alasdair Roberts album out by the time Music Arcades comes to the end of its thread, but that now looks extremely unlikely. So this is his most recent one, and, with the exception of one jig written by Alasdair's father, it's a collection of traditional songs.
There are many who feel the opposite to me, but I'm really a fan of Alasdair's albums of original songs — The Amber Gatherers, Farewell Sorrow and Spoils — more than those of traditional songs like this one, The Crook of My Arm and No Earthly Man. Annoyingly my favourite of the traditional songs in his repertoire, Bonnie Susie Cleland, remains unreleased, though it will be on the forthcoming Concerto Caledonia album, out next month.
It's not that I dislike or resent the traditional songs, you understand. Far from it. Wonderful versions of The Burning of Auchindoun, The Lover's Ghost and Barbara Allen here. And clearly the tradition is joined and double-threaded with the original. You can't enjoy the best fruits without the best compost. Or something.
But do look out for that next album of new songs. If it contains the best of the known unreleased songs, it will be breathtaking.
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