Alchemy
Before the Tannahill Weavers reintroduced the Highland bagpipes to Scottish folk music in the early '70s, the distinctive skirl was pretty much heard only in marching bands and at funerals. OnAlchemy, their 13th album, the Weavers continue to demonstrate that the pipes were made for more than just military music and "Amazing Grace." They use it as the main instrument on their medleys of Scottish dance tunes such as "The Wagtail Set" and "The Silver Whistle Set," and as a backdrop for the band's stunning vocals. As on their previous recordings, the Tannahill Weavers skillfully blend the rural tradition of wild Highland flings and reels with the more polite, and urban, Lowland song tradition. And when they sing their stirring harmonies on "It Was All for Our Rightful King" and "The Gallant Shearers" and play their relentlessly rhythmic dance-tune sets, they are continuing their own personal tradition of recording some of the finest Scottish folk music ever heard.--Michael Simmons