The Black Tartan Clan "Scotland in Our Hearts"
Release date: 30 April 2014
Running time: 38:16, 12 tracks
“Scotland in our Hearts” is the latest Black Tartan Clan album. This bunch of Belgians have become alchemists and every CD they've previously released has turned into gold straight away. And “Scotland in our Hearts” is no exception.
The six piece band found the perfect line-up when they release their “Standing Strong” EP and they have not failed since then. The pipes and the banjo are perfectly mixed with the electric guitar, rhythm section and Mac Touche lead vocals. As far as the lyrics are concerned, the songs are about Scotland, booze and friendship, but new topics are dealt: Bill Millin, the piper during the D-Day landing in Normandy, Scottish food, working in a factory, a musician’s life... Some buddies have also written some lyrics for them (“Piper Bill”, “We Are the Clan” and “Maggots in my Haggis”. By the way, there is a number sung in French too, “We Are the Clan”. The Clan is really standing strong and growing.
Regarding the original stuff, “Piper Bill” is a fantastic number. BTC know that a brilliant album needs the perfect 1st song, and “Piper Bill” is BTC at its best: pipes, banjo and street punk chorus. “Scotland in Our Heart” follows the same path, with a powerful chorus too. “Belgian and Drunk” will soon become a classic that every ULB, UCL and KUL student will proudly sing. And “Maggots in my Haggis” is THE SINGLE from “Scotland in Our Hearts”. But BTC also moves to different territories. There are two slower numbers that I really love, the booze song “Until I’m Drunk Enough” and the top-notch closing number “The Artist”, featuring a brass band at the end. Together with those songs, “The Factory”, with its second vocals, is amazing too.
Obviously, there are some traditional Scottish songs. The numbers that have got the BTC treatment on “Scotland in Our Hearts” are the well-known songs “Ye Jacobites” and “Go Lassie Go” (“Wild Mountain Thyme”) together with the tune “(Hector) The Hero”. I enjoy BTC covers of traditional Scottish songs, but I prefer when they cover Scottish tunes, so I’ll pick “The Hero”. Please guys, some Gordon Duncan's tunes on the next album!!!
The album packaging is a jewel case with a 16 page booklet. The cover drawing has been made by Jordi Sansa Linares (Pa de Ral drummer). BTC loved Pa de Ral “Triforce” cover and they contacted Jordi, who got some guidelines to draw the cover. After some sketches and some feedback, he was able to deliver what the guys were looking for.
Black Tartan Clan are the King Midas of Celtic punk. They have the ability to turn into gold everything they touch. I feel that they have already achieved their goals and therefore new goals would be highly appreciated. Maybe working with producer Phil Cunningham on the next album? I'd love it.
Tracklist:
01. Piper Bill 2:50
02. Scotland in our Hearts 2:48
03. We are the Clan 3:10
04. Friends until the End 3:34
05. Until I'm Drunk Enough 3:18
06. Belgian and Drunk 2:59
07. Ye Jacobites 3:04
08. The Hero 3:08
09. Go Lassie Go 2:58
10. Maggots in my Haggis 3:12
11. The Factory 2:56
12. The Artist 3:53
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P.S.
ULB, KUL and UCL are the main Belgian Universities: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Université Catholique de Louvain
Review by Kinksmarkham
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