While Findlay Napier is well known on the live Scottish folk music scene, this fantastic band project looks likely to bring to him to much wider attention both in the UK and much further a field.
The musicians all come from a folk background, and elements of folk are easy to identify in the instrumentation and in the 3 tracks with traditional roots, but that only tells half the story of an album that is dominated by songs of everyday people and urban lives full of character, personality and effortless charm.
The producer Angus Lyon has done a fantastic job of capturing the four musicians, and the energy and vibrancy of a live performance; I've not seen (or heard) the band live, but its obvious how they would sound. Findlay's guitar is rhythmic and dynamic, Gillian Frame’s fiddle work adds colour and details to the songs, and it’s all held together by the keyboards of Douglas Millar and the cajon and percussion of Paul Jennings; Napier takes on the main vocal duties, but all the members share backing vocals, in particular Frame who adds a huge amount over the 12 tracks.
The quality of the arrangements should not be understated, considering the relatively simple instrumental set up, there are some beautiful details as the tracks go from quiet reflective songs to pretty much out and out folk rock, and the band handle these and all points in between with real élan.
While identifiably Scottish, especially in Napier’s vocal delivery, the album is dripping in influences from outside of the UK, in amongst the folk you can spot bluegrass, country and elements of more contemporary music.
After the impact of the stellar musicianship and ear-candy melodies, you come to the lyrics, and the partnership of Napier and Nick Turner has put together a brilliant collection of songs. ‘He’s Such A Sweetie’ has the humour and impact of Loudon Wainwright at his best; ‘George’ is a chorus led character study full of life and powerful imagery; and the traditional ‘The Battle of Corrymuckloch’ is a beautifully arranged and performed song as that’s as fresh as any traditional track in recent memory.
It’s a shame the booklet doesn’t have the lyrics printed, but that really is nit-picking, and the only blemish on an outstanding album with a real heart.
In a year of high profile releases from the biggest folk names in the UK and the US, Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers are going to finish near the top of the pile with a brilliant album that that brings together a fantastic writing team, a charismatic singer and three superb musicians; the result is a dynamic, colourful and vibrant collection of modern songs with a traditional twist. Exceptional.
Neil Pearson, September 17th, 2008

Track listing
1 George
2 He's Such A Sweetie
3 Mo's All Night Cafe
4 The Battle of Corrymuckloch
5 Out All Night
6 Point of No Return
7 Wee Drappie O't
8 The Note
9 Lambkin
10 Son of the Circus
11 Irina's Waltz
12 Just Me and You

£12.99