Tag: Grant Milne

Torridon are a band from Ross-shire, in Scotland and, despite two decades of longevity under their belts, seem never to have quite made the crossover that some of their closest comparators, Skerryvore, Skipinnish or Mànran, have made. That trio of names should indicate the territory we are in, namely driving indie folk/rock, with a hefty dollop of traditional running through, characterised by prominent use of bagpipes. This is actually album number five. 

It is thus that bagpipes are the first sound heard, ushering in ‘The Whitey’, before guitar chords, bass and drums add structural support.  A short burst of wah wah guitar duels briefly, but the tune remains led by the pipes of Grant Milne, bursting then into a sturdy reel that cascades over the riffs. The guitar bites back, from Paul Elliott, and it’s a braw beginning.  

As ‘I Wanna Know’ starts, airing the vocals of accordionist and keyboardsman, Michael Macmillan, it becomes clear these guys know what they’re up to. He is their lead vocalist and comes from the same school of delivery as most highland bands, with a clear and confident voice, articulating clearly, with all the inflections of his homeland. Without a fiddle in the line-up, Elliott employs a fair amount of slide to capture a similar sound, as well as little runs and motifs that wouldn’t put Malcolm Jones of Runrig to shame. Second guitarist, Kenny Smith, bassist, Glyn Evans, and drummer, Kenny Lyall, are meanwhile keeping the engine turning over and turning over well. 

‘We Don’t Care’ adds whistle to some slashed staccato guitar, building into a commercial and catchy chorus. Rather than anything folkie, here I am hearing a dash of Queen and a dash of the Police (the Polis?), to which the whistle gives unexpected edge.  Bagpipes return for ‘Pressed For Time’, over a backdrop of gradually escalating keys and chords, that attach a sense of ceremony to the proceedings. It’s good, taking then a side-swirl into Elliott’s  proggy guitar, before Milne seizes back the reins. 

‘Someone Else’s Someone’ is pure indie-pop, an ear worm of intent, with jangly mandolin like guitar. With little evidence to guide me, I am presuming these songs are mainly all their own. I’m thinking Smith is maybe now the vocalist for this one, exhibiting an attractive greater sense of urgency to his delivery, as well as expanding the vocal range of the band. ‘Longest Night’ doesn’t let then up any momentum, either, for a lighters in the air rock anthem, complete with a penny whistle solo to boot. 

Longest track, ‘Silver Spear’, begins as pibroch, and swiftly identifies itself as the Irish reel of that name. As piano and then the rest of the band add their textures, they bring in syncopations and swing. Some juicy guitar appears, in both rhythm and counter-melody, the whole so much more than merely copying the pipe line. A chicka-boom segment, which repeats and reappears is especially effective. I can well imagine this blaring out, dusk setting, at their spiritual home, Inverness Showground. 

Is ‘Hu R U’ a play on HòRò, or just as it sounds? Either way, it is another four minute blast of well-crafted Hibernian pop-rock. I note the band are supporting Skerryvore at the beginning of January, at Fort William, and, on this showing, they will be a very good fit, requiring the Tiree band to be at the top of their game. Not least as the closer, ‘Took My Heart’, adds a few further licks of new paint to their template, with some far from average funky bass, sparring with a glossy lido shuffle of drums and guitar. It sounds almost a different band, but, unable to resist a final burst of bagpipes, they stamp it with Torridon authenticity. A satisfying end to a satisfying set. 

(I’m never quite sure whether there is a statute of limitations around reviewing, with this album seemingly released back in the summer, but it is far too good to get lost in the end of year rush. And, if you go to their website, they take heritage a full further step, with links to their own branded 20 year old single cask malt, sadly not included with my EPK.) 

Seuras Og 

Artists website : www.torridonlive.com 

 ‘I Wanna Know’ – official video: