Are Ye Sleeping Maggie - The Tannahill Weavers

As the foremost purveyors of Scottish folk music, it's ironic that Paisley, Scotland's Tannahill Weavers first album is bereft of bagpipes. What the remarkable Are Ye Sleeping Maggie does include are ten songs that showcase a band on the cutting edge of the burgeoning traditional folk music scene. Recorded in 1976 in Oxford, England, founders Roy Gullane, Phil Smillie -- the band's original roadie -- Hudson Swan and Dougie MacLean spent most of their previous years touring and rehearsing. Their debut crackles with road-band tenacity and surprising arrangements of traditional tunes like "Birnie Bouzle," and "Cam Ye by Atholl." Gullane's voice lacks the richness of later records, but when the group harmonizes on classics like "Gypsy Laddie" -- re-recorded with bagpipes on their self-titled third record -- and the excellent title track, the hairs on your arms stand up. The two instrumental tracks are tight and lucid, especially "Hugaibh Oirbh," and they offer the talented Swan, Smillie, and MacLean -- the latter went on to join Silly Wizard -- a chance to show off their chops. This hard to find classic, while not completely indicative of their later work, is a solid collection of fiery standards from a band that would go on to record a slew of legendary records. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide