The Columbia Gypsy
SMITHFIELD FAIR
Cairdeas (Kinship)
Centaur (2000)
http://www.smithfieldfair.com
Alba ancient Alba, shining in the past, I was driving down I-84 in driving rain with Cairdeas on the player. I kept hearing
this "thunk-thunk." "What is wrong with my wipers?" I wondered, and then realized in
terror that it might be something else. What was wrong with my engine? Was a belt
lose? And then I realized it was a bohran. It was the beater hitting the rim. Smithfield Fair is from Baton Rouge. They perform mostly traditional Scottish music
with strong acoustic folk and pan-Celtic influences. SF functions as a Scottish
American band and you would be likely to find them at Highland or Celtic festivals
and gatherings in the South, welcome to most people as if they were a mighty caber
toss. Dudley-Brian Smith is the "voice" on many songs, with solid, mellow vocals.
Other songs feature Jan Smith, whose voice is a little more unusual but melodic and
interesting.
Scotland, bright Scotland, bright the future cast.
There are several traditional songs on Kinship that just can't miss, because they are such strong music and because they are branded in every experienced Scots listeners mind. One is the opener:"Glen Logie," "Saddle me the black horse, Saddle me the brown, or Jeannie Aberfeldy will be dead o'er and gone!" Male vocals and armony, accordions, frets...and a romance to rival the books my son hides under his mattress. Another two are inspiring boat songs sung by Jan. "Leis an Lugainn" was translated into English by Malcolm MacFarlane. "Light as a seagull she will go o'er the heaving waves go. Billows lashing! Waters crashing!" The second is a Gaelic waulking song, "'S Fliuch An Oidhche" or "Wet the Night." "Clan Neil sailing around the black rocks on the water, none can take them." These are my picks.
Some of the songs are written by the Smiths, and though in traditional form, tend to sound more contemporary. One nice waltz is Brian-Dudley's "Catriona," another romance. "Thy heart is the moonlight in dairkness aglow." He likes writing about classic Scottish themes, such as defense ("Fire In the Glen," vehement and with an almost poppish tune), Scottish pride ("Scotland, Fair Scotland") and geography("Appin, Mo Chridhe-Appin My Heart" slow and in Gaelic...). Scotland of Our Dreams may be a myth, but it is certainly a compelling state.
The instrumental parts are in accordion and frets...especially mandolin, and bodhran; you may hear Dudley-Brian on small or Highland pipes, as well. There are three all- instrumental tracks on Cairdeas. Smithfield Fair is competent and "good at what they do": presenting their own style, rather than innovative or cutting-edge. The arrangements work well, the harmonies are great and the blend is more likely to light fires in the hearts of nth generation Scotch-Irish than in Celtic edge cutters. Carirdeas itself is smoother and better integrated than earlier albums, though there are also fewer well-known "sure-bet" traditional songs. As I write this my daughter sings "Saddle me the black horse, saddle me the brown..."
gennett at gorge dot net
The Columbia Gypsy