At Dawn of Day

At Dawn of Day, the second album from Barluath, a still-fresh, still-developing new addition to the Scots music scene, is an interesting mix. Using fiddle, guitar, pipes, bouzouki and, unusually, celesta, Barluath deliver a mixture of traditional tracks and covers. Opener ‘Am Bròn Binn – Aisling Righ Bhreatainn’, a waulking song from the Hebrides (sung while working cloth) is a haunting and powerful interpretation, with some strong vocals from Ainsley Hamill. ‘Air Fàir an Là’ showcases the band's tight orchestration alongside Hamill's occasionally mannered singing. ‘Liberty's Sweet Shore’ doesn’t quite work, lacking a sense of the heartbreak and passion of John Doyle's original. More successful is the cover of Blair Douglas’ ‘Solus M’aigh’, a soft lament with a quiet tenderness. Finishing the album is a cover of Donovan's ‘Catch the Wind’, a rather sweet rendition of an old favourite.

While the band still feel as if they’re in their embryonic stage, this album is rich with some superb musicianship, and is complemented by Hamill's sturdy vocals. Barlauth promise to be an intriguing new act to watch.