Customer Reviews
Captivating - By: R. C. Tanton, 21 Nov 2007 
Recommended by a friend, I was a little dubious about buying a Scottish folk music album. However the beauty of the voice & the musicianship wins through.
Musician's musician - By: Paul Magnussen, 07 Aug 2007 
Well, I'm going to add my voice to the chorus.
As I write, there are no musical samples available on Amazon; but I saw the glowing reviews. Then I read that Julie was Eamon Doorley's fiancée, & I thought, OK, he probably plays on her album: I'll take a chance.
I couldn't be more happy. Her voice is glorious. The other musicians read like a cross-section of all that's bestin folk music, but the accompaniments never overwhelm or compete with the vocals, as they sometimes did with (for instance) Sólas. The arrangements,in which I can definitely detect the John McCusker touch, are wonderful, & both the original lyrics & translations are provided. The recording is crystal clear.
Try this for a first approximation. Imagine Kate Rusby singingin Gaelic, with John McCusker & Danú backing her. If you think you would like the result, then this album is for you.
A beautiful voice, endlessly listenable and engaging - By: Martin Thomas, 19 Jun 2007 I also own Mar a Tha Mo Chridhe & it too is an excellent album. Julie Fowlis is a truly exceptional singer, having a voice that seems magical, with a clear, beautiful & pure tone - always a perfect fit for the engaging acoustic accompaniment of the fine supporting musicians. In that sense Julie Fowlis has made such a well-balanced album, endlessly listenable, engaging & overflowing with the clarity & emotion of her voice. On the basis of her recordings I saw her sing live on her 2007 tour with her band, including her man Éamon Doorley of Danú fame, & what a fine treat it was. Highly recommended. If you have any doubts then listen to the tracks within Julie's myspace.com site & be convinced.
Wonderfully fresh and utterly charming - By: M. I. R. Clarke, 21 May 2007 Shame on me but Julie Fowlis is a new namein my collection. However I know most of the musicians on the album & it is to Julie's credit that she's not overpowered or intimidated by such company. Shades of Clannad, Altan & Capercailie. The songs (allin Scots gaelic) are deliveredin her lovely clear, warm voice - coping with a variety of themes & tempos effortlessly. Even better, these are unfamiliar songs, sung with feeling, arranged with restraint & subtlety & unadorned by intrusive "modern" influences or unnecessary gimmicks. You can just let the album flow over you & relax like you're on holidayin the Highlands. No new directions here then, just friendly, charming, reassuring surroundings. Encore.
Enchanting and heartfelt - By: David J. Baker, 30 Mar 2007 This is Julie's second album & is even more charming & wonderful than the first, with more rounded arrangements & wonderful backing from the likes of John McCusker & Michael McGoldrick. Yes all the lyrics arein Gaellic, & no I don't speak it, but I am won over by Julie's beautiful clear voice & by the homely charm of it all. Pop/rock it is not, you could call it Gaellic folk - the tunes are from her home of North Uist (Outer Hebrides), but that would be condemning it to the few wheraes Julie deserves to be heard by anyone who loves simple beautiful songs sangin a heartfelt & sincere manner. Check out the translated lyrics - Julie sings like her heart is breaking then you find the song is about a farmer spreading manure! - it all adds to the old world charm. In somes ways she's like a Scottish Kate Rusby - certainly the John McCusker fiddling underpinning some of the arrangements gives it a similar sound, & the songs are sometimes about girls pining for sailors gone off to sea (very Kate). Very relaxing & life affirming.
