Sidewaulk

This gang of Scots broke a lot of barriers, paving the way for the overwrought synth pop of Enya that was just up the road. Hebridean vocalist Karen Matheson is the prize of this band, and this record is her shining moment. The disc opens with Matheson singing a traditional "waulking song," a thundering vocal piece with drums and a wash of keyboard. She is soulful on "The Fisherman's Dream," perhaps a bit too lush on Dick Gaughan's "Both Sides the Tweed," and delivers a piece of traditional "mouth music" with a modern gusto. Most of the instrumental tunes are more vibrant than their later recordings. Accordions, fiddles, whistles, recorders, guitars, and bouzoukis more than balance the occasionally overbearing electric bass and synthesizers, maintaining a lively contemporary feel and a traditional power. --Louis Gibson