CR review: Pur - The Lassie's Reply

Published on Sunday 20 September 2009 19:30

PÙR: THE LASSIES' REPLY *** MACDUG, £11.74

THE duo of singer and fiddler Shona Donaldson and singer and clarsach player Katie Mackenzie serve up what is claimed to be the first project presenting the songs of Robert Burns in both Scots and Gaelic. And a very nice job they make of it, too, investing the mostly very familiar songs with a pleasing freshness and vitality in either language. The poet's connections with the Highlands are explored in the course of the chosen material, and it is intriguing to hear Gaelic versions of songs like Ae Fond Kiss, Aye Waulkin, O, Green Grow The Rashes and Ca' The Yowes. The songs are supported by Irving Duguid's occasionally over-intrusive instrumental arrangements and contributions from guitarists John Goldie and Anna Massie, clarsach player Mary Ann Kennedy, accordionist Gary Innes, percussionists James Mackintosh and Gary Nicholson and the string quartet version of Mr McFall's Chamber.