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Friday, October 24, 2014

REVIEW - PIBROCK "S/t" (2014)

Pibrock "s/t" PIB0001/1
Release date: 14 August 2014
Running time: 66:39, 16 tracks


The first time I visited Brittany I spent one night at the Festival Celtique de Lorient. The bill was Deaf Shepherd (Scotland), Danú (Ireland) and a local act. I enjoyed particularly the Deaf Shepherd show, because two pipers were on stage. I don’t know if the guys from PibRock were at that show, but their line-up has also two pipers.

As you probably know, a pibroch (piobaireachd) means piping in Scottish gaelic. So these French guys have chosen the right name for their band, since they play bagpipes with a hard rock attitude (hence the different spelling with a final k, PibRock). In fact, they define their band as Heavy Blues Celtic. PibRock hail from the North of France and their current line-up is Philippe Dehouck (Highland bagpipes), Christophe Popineau (Highland bagpipes, vocals), Yann Huellic (Guitar, vocals, darbouka, karkabou, tablas), David Planque (bass) and Manu Leuliet (drums). Manu recorded only 3 tracks on the album, the rest of the numbers were recorded by the late Xavier Demarquette.

The first numbers on their self-titled album are Celtic rock at its best. That is, Celtic Rock in the Wolfstone vein, a perfect blend of guitar and pipes on three powerful sets of tunes (“Mary Kelly’s/Patrick’s Dream”, “Kas a jig Part 1” and “Kas a jig Part 2”) and an amazing song, (“Whalermen o’Dundee”).  PibRock moves to the blues territory on the following numbers, “It Hurts Me Too” (cover) and “Blues Lament”.

After that blues part, PibRock deliver a couple of numbers written by Yann: “La Doëlanaise” (sung in French) and another hard rock tune (“Bards Maquam”). Then, a couple of standards get the PibRock treatment. Their rendition of “Loch Lomond” is improved with an instrumental part and an epic ending. “Scotland the Brave” is merged with “Wings” and the sound is more 80’s than the previous number.

Soleil d’Orient/Earl of Seaforth’s  Salute” is  a passage to India and “Les trois marins de Groix”a traditional sea song. They are followed by “Lost Bards”, an instrumental number with a Bags of Rock approach.

The album ends up with a three part opus called "Viking Rhapsody". “Saga” is folk-metal, “Lament” a Scorpions infused ballad and “Trech” a song in Breton language with a metal twist.

PibRock's debut album is packed on a jewel case that includes an 8 page booklet with lyrics and credits. Maybe the running time is a little bit long, but you can also think that you get a lot of music for the price of a standard CD.

France has a lot of brilliant musicians playing rock, blues and world music. Some of them have gathered together in order to form an interesting Celtic rock band: PibRock.

Tracklist:

01 - Mary Kelly's / Patrick's Dream
02 - Whalermen o'Dundee
03 - Kas a jig - Part 1
04 - Kas a jig - Part 2
05 - It Hurts Me Too / The Campbletown Kiltie Ball
06 - Blues Lament
07 - La Doëlanaise
08 - Bards Maqam
09 - Loch Lomond
10 - Scotland the Brave / Wings
11 - Soleil d' Orient / Earl of Seaforth's Salute
12 - Les trois marins de Groix
13 - Lost Bards
14 - Viking Rhapsody - Saga
15 - Viking Rhapsody - Lament
16 - Viking Rhapsody - Trec'h

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Review by Kinksmarkham

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