Capercaillie is one of Scotland's most famous bands, mixing traditional folk with modern elements. The band was founded in the early eighties by singer Karen Matheson and keyboardist Donald Shaw. In 1988 they broke through with their musical contribution to a television series about the history of Gaelic Scots. The soundtrack The Blood Is Strong was a big hit. The successful album Delirium once
… again provided inspiration for television shows and a Celtic soap opera. More albums followed. After the acoustic CD Nadurra, Capercaillie releases a surprisingly different CD with Choice Language, with a new line-up. Besides Matheson and Shaw, the core consists of Charlie McKerron (violin), Manus Luny (bouzouki, guitar) and Michael McGoldrick (flute, bagpipes). Added to that is a new rhythm section featuring bass guitarist Ewen Vernal, drummer Che Beresford and percussionist David Robertson. Capercaillies albums usually consist of a mixture of self-composed pieces, ancient Gaelic songs and ingenious instrumental pieces. But on Choice Language you hear more than acoustic instruments and Matheson's magical, clear voice: samples, loops and strong grooves add something extra. An album full of wonderful, refined music. (SvdP)more
