Homelands

Homelands is Alyth McCormack's third solo album and a rather sweet and alluring work it is too. A mix of both Irish and Scots traditional songs, it is an amiably beguiling and welcome collection. There are some fine interpretations of traditional Gaelic songs here, including an atmospheric ‘Thig am Bata’ (The Boat Will Come) and a lively ‘Buachaill ó Éirne’ (A Boy from Eme). ‘Raglan Road’ is a tender version of the knowing romance while ‘A Mhàiri Bhòidheach’ (Beautiful Mary), on the other hand, presents a lover's lament as a moody and bleak affair.

The delightfulness of the album does mean that, occasionally, the impact of the song's narrative is lost. ‘The Lambs on the Greenhills’ is a lilting rendition but one that rather glosses over the song's theme of lost love; likewise ‘Carrickfergus’ is a rather unexciting interpretation of a traditional classic. With some fine musicianship from Brian McAlpine on piano, guitars and accordion, Aidan O’Rourke and Ali Smith on fiddles (among others), Homelands is a pleasant listen. Gentle, soft renditions of some beautiful tunes, with Alyth's sweet and lifting voice shining through make this a charming introduction to the songs of Gaeldom.