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Reviews 'One for Sorrow'
Rallion are a Scottish four-piece band featuring Stevie Lawrence on guitar and bouzouki (ex Iron Horse, recently accompanist to Mick West Red Hot Chilli Pipers, and many other Scottish artists), the twin fiddles of Fiona Cuthill (Canterach, Real Time) and Andrew Lyons, and last but not least singer Marieke McBean. Marieke McBean (née Smegen) is from the Netherlands, but settled in Scotland in the early millennium; with this knowledge it is no surprise that the final track is the Dutch drinking song "Wat Zullen We Drinken" (What Shall We Drink). The original lyrics were written by Dutch songwriter Hans Sanders to a traditional Breton melody, the Aussie band Cloudstreet used the tune for their song "King Willy". Rallion's second album "One for Sorrow ..." features traditional songs such as "There's Nae Luck Aboot the Hoose", Robert Burns songs ("Rightfu' King", "Lassie Lie Near Me"), and self-penned tunes exclusively (besides a traditional Norwegian polka and a Schottische by Maria Jonsson). Fiona's "Le Vent du Nord" is named for her favourite band, indeed one of her tunes had already been recorded by the French-Canadian band. Steve contributes some exotic rhythms on his funny titled "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Fez" (referring to the famous Ewan MacColl song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"). His "Last Chicken in Tesco's" had already been recorded on Mick West's "A Poor Man's Labour".
I only drivelled about the band's selection of songs and tunes, so let me
say the quartet is up to the best you can find in this musical field. Well
done, lads and lasses, it will eased any sorrow for sure.
Rallion, i.e., Fiona Cuthill, Stevie Lawrence, Andrew Lyons and Marieke McBean, offer some food for thought in One for Sorrow which has more than its share of night-visiting songs, often leaving a maiden (or a very recent former maiden) rueing the moment she let a chap into her room late at night. OK, it happens, or so I'm told, but opening the door or window for a soldier - dumb or what? But this album has some lighter moments, too, like "The First Time Ever I Saw You Fez", written to mark a trip to Egypt with Iron Horse. Celtic musicians with a sense of humour - by jings, whatever next?
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Scotland on Sunday - 10 January 2010 A Rum mountain, a Dutch drinking song and the whiff of camels come together in the second release by Scottish band Rallion. It's more wanton acoustic folk rockery than a quiet garden of authentic tradition; although Netherlands-born singer Marieke does give us an impressive a cappella rendition of Lassie Lie Near Me, before she finishes the album with a Dutch drinking song. And she's no slouch on the bodhran in the quartet's big, multi-instrumental sound. Their music can even evoke, in jest, the Middle East, as in The First Time Ever I Saw Your Fez. Download this: Askival
- Norman Chalmers **********************
Having quietly begun to make a name for themselves, "One For Sorrow" sees Scottish folk quartet Rallion follow up their 2006 debut "For No-One and Everyone" in fine musical fettle. This latest release perfectly exhibits the multi-instrumental talents of the band, with Dutch-born singer Marieke McBean proving quite splendid at sounding genuinely local. There is a shade of irony in the opening track ("Nae Luck") being decidedly upbeat, but that fact soon becomes redundant by the time the delightful fiddles on "Askival" flow from your speakers. If you're not sold on that, "Waiting For Dawn", a beautiful composition by fiddle player Fiona Cuthill, will break your indifference. Further instrumental joy is to be encountered on "Jigs - 3 Different Ones". Don't judge it by its title. Likewise, "Norwegian Tunes" consists of three songs - one Swedish, one a pleasant nod to a Canadian band, and the last, amazingly, is a traditional Norwegian polka. The continental flavour is most welcome and hints positively at the inquisitive nature of the band in their musical outlook. Marieke's voice paints a torrent of vivid imagery in the head of the listener as she sings the words of Robert Burns on "Lassie Lie Near Me", without as much as a gust of wind for accompaniment. Fine words complemented by a fine voice.
Perhaps fittingly, the album ends on "Wat Zullen We Drinken", which is a
renowned Dutch drinking song. Raise your glass and bother to learn an
appropriate Dutch drinking toast. - Peter McGee ********************** Mike Wilson's Music Blog - 22 August 2009
Scotland-based Rallion, follow up their début album of 2006, For
No One And Everyone, with this bold and vibrant collection, that
leaves a truly indelible impression from the very first listen. Rallion
are a four-piece band with a sound that carries the force of a much larger
ensemble. At the heart of this intensity lies the rock inclinations of
Stevie Lawrence, a formidable presence on guitar and bouzouki, who brings
immeasurable drive to the band's traditional sounds. The twin fiddles of
Fiona Cuthill and Andrew Lyons combine to provide some of the album's most
fluid and exhilarating moments, whilst Marieke McBean sings with the
fervour and abandon of a wild banshee. The strength of One
For Sorrow is
undoubtedly its raw, live qualities; the authentic, unadulterated sound of
music being played with a wholehearted passion and enjoyment. - Mike Wilson, http://mikewilsonmusicblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/album-review-rallion-one-for-sorrow.html ********************** Lori Gordon - Bletherings from a music obsessed mind - 16 August 2009 Rallion’s sophomore release, One For Sorrow, is a dazzling display of musicality by the Scotland-based traditional folk quartet. The members of Rallion are prolific performers and the skills honed on stages around the world shine on this recording. Featuring a mix of traditional songs and mostly original tunes, One For Sorrow has a deliciously exciting feel. Marieke McBean’s rich alto marries perfectly with the material, whether conveying the dark humor of “The Astrologer,” the poignancy of “Lassie Lie Near Me,” or the good cheer of the Dutch drinking song “Wat Zullen We Drinken” (What Will We Drink). The instrumentation accompanying each song is truly splendid, creating an aural luxuriance that reaches the listener on all levels. The crème de la crème of One For Sorrow, however, are the tunes, the majority composed by the group’s tunesmiths: Stevie Lawrence, Fiona Cuthill and Andrew Lyons. Not only are the compositions exquisite, their execution is phenomenal. All of the members of Rallion are multi-instrumentalists, lending an incredible depth and texture to each piece. The highlights are “Askival,” an energetic set of tunes by Andrew, “Fez,” an exotically flavored set by Fiona and Stevie, and, my personal favorite, “Waiting For Dawn,” a gorgeous slow tune by Fiona. One For Sorrow is a brilliant album that will leave you hungering for more - Lori Gordon, http://musicalbletherings.wordpress.com/2009/08/16/rallion-one-for-sorrow/ **********************
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