Search - Wolfstone :: Almost an Island

A Playful, Bouncy Masterpiece

Benjamin W. Waterhouse | Portland, OR | 06/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This long-awaited sequel to Wolfstone's less-than-perfect 1999 album "Seven" showcases the copious talents of a band fully recovered from the departure of singer and guitarist Ivan Drever. It is, in the band's opinion and my own, the best release yet from the Scottish foursome.On this album, unlike the band's earlier efforts, Duncan Chisholm's lively, beautiful fiddle playing shares the driver's seat equally with Stephan Saint's haunting pipes and whistles. While I was somewhat disappointed at first by the increased use of pipes, but it has grown on me. It seems especially appropriate on the instrumental tracks, where fiddle and bagpipe wind around each other in the mix so that the listener is occasionally unsure which is which. Alan Cosker, a recent addition to the band's recording lineup, keeps the music rolling with his excellent, understated drumming. Unlike other folk-rock bands like Tempest and Dropkick Murpheys, who tend to let their heavy drumming overshadow their celtic roots, Wolfstone keep the percussion subtle enough to blend seamlessly with the rest of the instruments. The music has taken a bit of a new direction, however, with Wayne MacKenzie's bouncy, thumpy bass taking more of a lead than on earlier recordings; it works. As always, Stuart Eaglesham's beautiful tenor (superior to any other voice in Celtic rock) and crunchy guitars give the album that distinctive touch that Wolfstone fans love. Phil Cunningham's influence is perhaps more pronounced on this album than any before it. The ex-Silly Wizard keyboard and squeezebox player who has worked with the band since its first studio recording has left the producer's chair to play with the band on almost every track on the album. His immistakeable style is most exhibited in the closing track, "The Panda," a rollicking instrumental by piper George Duncan of Northwind Country. The record even features a cover one of Silly Wizard's best songs: "Queen of Argyll" from "Kiss the Tears Away".This album is primarily instrumental, with only four out of ten tracks having lyrics. This is due to the departure of Ivan Drever, who lettered most of Wolfstone's best-known ballads. This is not a bad thing; the large number of instrumentals gives the band a chance to really show off their stuff.My favorite track on the island is, in fact, not celtic in origin at all. "Jericho" is a rocking, hard-driven zydecho tune unlike anything the band has played before. It is simply fantastic.Wolfstone's excellent vocals and production set them a pace ahead of other groups in their genre like Tempest, Seven Nations, and Brother. They are, simply, the best Celtic Rock group playing today, true heirs to the legacy of Silly Wizard. Buy this album; buy two copies. Give it to your friends. They will thank you."

An evolving band ,still going strong!

jasperg55 | SALEM, OR United States | 05/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With the departure of singer,Ivan Drever and the end of their association with Green Linnet Records, I really wondered if we had seen the last of 'ole Wolfstone...
Happily, they have returned on an indie label with a pretty good good effort...the lead vocal chores are nicely handled by Stuart Eaglesham, with strong background vocals by Duncan Chisholm, Wayne MacKenzie and Phil Cunningham.
That said however, what saves and really moves this disc are the instrumentals, which have never been stronger!
For this listener, the vocal tunes just don't click- plainly: they are weak!...hopefully the songwriting will get stronger with future releases and these guys can get their travel visa problems solved, returning to tour in the States soon!
Glad you are still rockin' Wolfstone!"