GEORGE DUFF – The Collier Laddie (BEAGCD BEAG CD005)

Collier LaddieAlthough he’s been singing for many years and is well-known and respected in Scotland George Duff hadn’t until now made a solo album. He is The Collier Laddie of the title – a National Coal Board engineer, to be precise – and a fair part of his repertoire is made up miners’ songs. He hasn’t gone for a thematic record, however, and here you’ll hear romantic songs, two of Robert Burns’ lyrics and Hamish Henderson’s most famous song. George has a terrifically strong and clear voice and is steeped in Scottish tradition but his album encompasses modern production values, thanks in part to co-producer Kevin Macleod. The assembled musicians include Mike Katz, John Martin and Mark Dunlop – quality assured.

The album opens with the title track and ‘The Blackleg Miner’, performed in his typically robust style before switching to gentler thoughts with ‘The Banks Of The Bann’. I have to say that The Collier Laddie includes quite a few of my favourite songs of which this is one. There are some contemporary songs among the traditional. Brian McNeill’s ‘The Prince Of Darkness’ is as grim as any mining song I’ve ever heard; Geordie McIntyre’s ‘Remember Connolly’, with bodhran accompaniment from Dunlop, takes us into the political arena to be followed by Alistair Hulett’s heart-breaking ‘He Fades Away’ – an example of perfect sequencing in my humble opinion. I don’t suppose ‘The D-Day Dodgers’ can be considered contemporary any more but ‘When These Shoes Were New’ can. Michael Marra’s song is better known as ‘Take Me Out Drinking Tonight’ but this is his preferred title and it makes a fitting, if slightly stereotypical, ending to an album of Scottish songs.

I’ve really enjoyed this album and if you were beginning to think that people don’t make records like this any more, here’s one to prove that they do.

Dai Jeffries

Artist’s website: https://www.facebook.com/thecollierladdie/

‘Rattlin’ Roarin’ Willie’ with Kevin Macleod:


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