Published on Jan 14, 1999
Occasionally you can tell almost everything you need to know
about a CD from its cover art — or, in the case of Ashley
MacIsaac’s American debut CD, the artist’s photo. In full colour
glory on the back of the case, we have a picture of the Cape Breton
fiddler-rocker, unshaven, in grunge flannel, combat boots… and a
kilt.
That one image summarizes MacIsaac neatly, an oddly fascinating
juxtaposition of traditional Celtic fiddling and
fly-in-the-face-of-tradition pop and rock. On his only CD available
in the U.S.,
hi™ how are you today, he merges the two traditions
almost seamlessly into music that alternates between lyrical and
quirky, subtle and forceful, and it’s a delight to listen to, so
long as you have an open mind.
MacIsaac is no slouch as a traditional fiddler. His versions of
“MacDougall’s Pride” and “Hills of Glenorchy” are as sweet as
anything ever put on CD, and the haunting darkness of “Sad Wedding
Day” (with guest vocalist Mary Jane Lamond) puts the pablumate
version from
Riverdance to shame.
It’s when MacIsaac tosses tradition and modernity into the
blender and hits ‘puree’ that things get surreal, and in this case
surreal works. From the CD’s opening track, the
techno-trance-fiddle reworking of “Sleepy Maggie”, through the
metal-laced “Devil In The Kitchen”, to the arching guitar of
“Brenda Stubbert”, MacIsaac proves that the boy in the kilt can
rock as well. Credit should be given to his supporting musicians,
especially the guitar of Gordie Johnson, the bass of Pete
Prilesnik, and the vocal presence of Mary Jane Lamond (whose
Enyaesque vocals cloy somewhat by themselves, but add needed depth
here).
The greatest praise, though, has to go to “Wing-Stock”, which
literally takes my breath away; the gentle piano intro by Joel
Chaisson sets you up, and the lashing fiddle of MacIsaac knocks you
over, and you’re left in the dust, blinking with shock and glee at
the sheer power of the music.
Kilt and flannel combined, MacIsaac is a joy. I just wish
A&M would get off their corporate duffs and release more of his
work in the US. Traditional fiddlers may roll in their graves, but
the rest of us will be too busy dancing to care.