Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Runrig's Roots, 6 Aug 2002
One of Runrig's earliest albums, is also similar to their latest, The stamping ground. It has the same rock feel to it, but the same catchiness to the tunes, although most of the songs are in gaelic and the two or three songs which are in english will have you singing along. A great album, which if you have heared Stamping Ground you are sure to enjoy!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of their best albums from the pre-Chrysalis period..., 29 April 2006
Starting out with acoustic-based folk rock on Play Gaelic, Runrig adopted a more edgier feel on its follow-up, The Highland Connection. This album is definitely more raw and hard rocking, and makes for enjoyable listening for those who dig their early Gaelic material.
Starting off with the traditional air "Gamhna Gealla" (White Stirks), it displays a young, fresh band trying to make a name for themselves in the rock music business. This also features Malcolm Jones' possibly only background chanting (he does the bass section). "Mairi" is one of my personal favorites and is a very beautiful and touching Gaelic ballad with Donnie Munro's voice embellishing the overall atmosphere. Recently added guitarist and Inverness-born Malcolm Jones even gets to display his musical prowess on the instrumentals "What Time" and "The Twenty-Five Pounder" (both composed by himself). "Fichead Bliadhna" (Twenty Years) is sung by Rory MacDonald and even features a spoken passage by his brother Calum (who even provided the spoken passages on later songs such as "Siol Ghoraidh", "Big Sky", "Pog An Oidhche Earraich", and "Oran"), which is an episode about the Highland Clearances of South Uist in 1884; it is conjoined to another instrumental "Na Luing Air Seoladh" (The Ships Having Sailed). The album also features their first recorded version of "Loch Lomond", which sounds quite different than the Once In A Lifetime live version which is available on some of their compilations (of course, this was long before Iain Bayne and Peter Wishart joined the ranks).
Another favorite of mine is "Foghar Nan Eilean 78" (Autumn Of The Islands 78), in similar style to "Mairi", though this time only acoustic guitars are employed, with Rory providing the vocals. "Going Home" is definitely one of their early English highlights, with a theme that evokes a sense of longing and is very ideal for singing on your way home from a long journey. "Morning Tide" has a more aquatic feel to it, pertaining to the sea and the ecological concerns abounding it. The album ends off with "Cearcal A' Chuain" (The Ocean's Cycle), which gives the impression of a psalm, being played on an organ and featuring a vocal by Donnie suitable for singing in churches, thereby drawing the whole Gaelic experience to a spiritual vantage point.
This was even the first album released on the band's own record label (Ridge), after having recorded Play Gaelic for Lismor Records (though released on its subsidiary Neptune). Even the follows-up Recovery and Heartland would be issued on Ridge, and 'twas after this that Runrig soared unto higher altitudes with the release of The Cutter And The Clan and their signing to Chrysalis Records. Unlike Play Gaelic, The Highland Connection is also the first one to feature songs sung in English (which became ever more prominent starting with Heartland, leaving the supremacy of the Gaelic material in the dust).
Calum MacDonald, let it be known, was the original drummer of Runrig, and this album was also the last one to feature him in that position. By 1980, Calum felt that his drumming left something to be desired and thus Iain Bayne was recruited (and has remained in the fold ever since), with Calum moving on to percussion. Calum even gets the opportunity to shine on several songs, most notably "Gamhna Gealla" and "What Time", not to mention the spoken passage on "Fichead Bliadhna" (that particular text tends to be absent on those sites featuring the lyrics to "Fichead Bliadhna").
Nevertheless, The Highland Connection is without doubt one of their heaviest albums indeed (the other being perhaps The Stamping Ground), and it was also critically acclaimed in virtually every corner, and it ultimately sold by the bucketload. It is even one of my favorites and 'tis always a pleasure to headbang to the sounds of "What Time". Yet it would take a good eight years for them to finally break through...
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