| Still Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 12 February 2021 [1] | |||
| Recorded | ~2005–2020 [nb 1] [nb 2] | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Length | 46:35 | |||
| Label | Vertical Records | |||
| Karen Matheson chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Still Time | ||||
Still Time is the fifth solo (studio) album by Karen Matheson, lead singer of the Scottish folk band Capercaillie, released on CD and vinyl on 12 February 2021. [1]
Folk Radio UK's music critic Billy Rough stated in his album review on 25 January 2021: «Still Time features a mix of traditional and contemporary tracks, many written by producer Donald Shaw, and a subtle and measured collection it is too.» [5]
Folk Radio UK's music critic "FRUK Staff" stated about Still Time in his review on 6 November 2020 of the single "Cassiopeia Coming Through": «[Karen Matheson's] new album Still Time is a collection of contemporary and traditional-sounding songs featuring an intoxicating palette of sonic textures wrapped around that instantly recognisable voice. Featuring piano and production by Donald Shaw, this new album is a creative discovery from this summer’s unexpected lockdown.» [4]
Still Time features four songs by James Grant – someone whose writing Karen Matheson has admired for some time ("Cassiopeia Coming Through", "The Glory Demon", "Little Gun" and "Laurel to Wreath"), two contributions from Robert Burns ("Lassie with the Lint White Locks" and "Ae Fond Kiss"), two from musical and life partner Donald Shaw ("Still Time" and "The Diamond Ring"), and one each from Brendan Graham ("Orphan Girl"), Si Kahn ("The Aragon Mill") and the Macdonald brothers of Runrig fame ("Recovery"). [2]
Karen Matheson stated about Still Time: «10 years ago, I was working on a bunch of different tracks, unsure of what direction to go in when I found myself facing a number of personal challenges including the loss of both my parents. It felt right to concentrate on the Gaelic songs of my childhood, in tribute to what had given true shape to my life, resulting in the purely Gaelic release of Urram from 2015. We were then left with a body of work, waiting in the wings to be resurrected at a later date with my sore heart eased and my faith in humanity restored. Fast-forward a decade and while the world paused, bird song soared and banana bread baked, Still Time was re-born. With the help of some familiar, brilliant musicians who could accommodate the ' home-recording' situation we worked through lockdown. Somehow having time to reflect and consider music in a different way helped me finally finish the record and I am super proud of it!»
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Folk Radio UK | very favourable [5] |
| The Scotsman |   [6] |
| Spiral Earth | [7] |
| Americana UK |   [2] |
| The Rocking Magpie (blog) | very favourable [3] |
On 25 January 2021, the new album received a warm review from the Folk Radio UK's music critic Billy Rough, stating: «It's a quiet, serious, considered album, but one which quickly, and tenderly, melts your heart.» [5]
On his 2 February 2021 review in Americana UK, Gordon Sharpe praised the album, stating: «[Although] Still Time [...] has been recorded over the last 15 years, fortunately [...] it does not have the feel of odds and ends cobbled together in order to produce some, "product"», and «the best tracks on the album are marked by their more directly Scottish subject matter as well as the simplicity of the arrangements which allow Matheson's voice to shine more clearly. She has a lovely voice though it is not one you could call powerful. The album's best tracks are those with the sparsest instrumentation which serves to better highlight the singer», adding: «these tracks are notable by way of their subject matter, the writing, arrangements and the way Matheson's voice comes to the fore» and concluding: «those fans of Capercaillie and Matheson will know what to expect – this is well crafted, well-sung music that won't disappoint. To appropriate a Scottish metaphor, the impact is more akin to the sinuous quiet power of the lowland Tweed than it is the force and thunder of upland rivers such as the Orchy and the Etive.» [2]
On 10 February 2021, the blog "The Rocking Magpie" wrote about Still Time: «I've found it a very pleasant change to find Karen Matheson hasn't actually written any of these songs, instead she gets to re-interpret and put her very own personality into another's words,» adding: «While not quite a retrospective of her solo career, you wouldn't guess that these songs were recorded over a 15 year period, which somehow goes to show the quality of Karen Matheson's singing style [and] partner Donald Shaw's guiding hand at the control panel,» and concluding: «There are very lazy comparisons I can make, but that's unfair on someone with a track record like Ms. Matheson already has, but I firmly believe that this album and collection of strangely beautiful songs has the capacity to cross-over into the mainstream, whatever that means these days.» [3]
The album lead single "Cassiopeia Coming Through" (a 4:30 edit of the album opening track which runs 5:15) was video premiered on 6 November 2020. [4]
A second single, the eponymous "Still Time" (actually the 4:17 album edit) was released on 2 February 2021 as a SoundCloud streaming. [2]
Writing credits – see as indicated.
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included brothers and songwriters Rory MacDonald and Calum MacDonald (percussion). The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s, which was the band's most successful period commercially, also included Donnie Munro (vocals), Malcolm Jones (guitar), Iain Bayne (drums), and Pete Wishart (keyboards). Munro left the band in 1997 to pursue a career in politics and was replaced by Bruce Guthro. Wishart left in 2001, also to pursue a career in politics, and was replaced by Brian Hurren. The band released fourteen studio albums, with a number of their songs sung in Scottish Gaelic. At the height of their success during the 1980s and 1990s, Runrig were described by Billboard as one of the "most celebrated" Gaelic language bands in Scotland.
Weights and Measures is a 1997 album by Spirit of the West. It was their final album of new material for Warner Music Canada.
Karen Matheson OBE is a Scottish folk singer who frequently sings in Gaelic. She is the lead singer of the group Capercaillie and was a member of Dan Ar Braz's group L'Héritage des Celtes, with whom she often sang lead vocals, either alone or with Elaine Morgan. She and Morgan sang together on the Breton language song "Diwanit Bugale", the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. She made a cameo appearance in the 1995 movie Rob Roy singing the song "Ailein duinn".
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Capercaillie are a Scottish folk band, founded in 1984 by Donald Shaw and led by Karen Matheson, and which performs traditional Gaelic and contemporary songs in English. The group adapts traditional Gaelic music and traditional lyrics with modern production techniques and instruments such as electric guitar and bass guitar, though rarely synthesizers or drum machines. Capercaillie demonstrate "astonishing musical dexterity" and feature "the peerless voice of co-founder Karen Matheson. Universally recognised as one of the finest Gaelic singers alive today".
James Grant is a Scottish musician, singer, and songwriter. He grew up in Glasgow's Castlemilk district and still resides in the city.
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"Flower of the West" is a 1991 single released by Scottish celtic rock band Runrig, released as the lead and only single from their seventh studio album The Big Wheel (1991). The single was released on 28 October 1991 and was released by Chrysalis. Upon its release, "Flower of the West" became the highest-charting entry for the band on the UK Singles Charts, following its peak at number forty-three.