Urram (Gaelic for "Respect" as it is subtitled on the album front cover) is the fourth solo (studio) album by Karen Matheson, lead singer of the Scottish folk band Capercaillie, released on CD on 16 October 2015.[2][8][9]
This Karen Matheson's solo project is a musical love letter to her families' Hebridean roots, with a collection of timeless Gaelic songs that evoke the character and atmosphere of Island life, through work songs, love songs, lullabies, mouth music and evocative poems to the surroundings.[9]
As Folk Radio UK's music critic Neil McFadyen stated in his Karen Matheson interview on 15 October 2015: «Heritage, family, poetry and friendship have all been significant factors during the [new album] creative process which started with an unexpected journey through family history, progressed to a treasury of Hebridean music and culture, and culminated in recordings that saw Karen united with old friends and forging new, exotic musical partnerships.»[10]
As Herald Scotland's music critic Rob Adams stated on 18 October 2015 in his review of the new album: «Karen Matheson's latest solo album [...] is a collection of songs both traditional and from the bardic canon that simultaneously looks inward and outward.»[6]
Origins
Regarding the genesis of Urram, Karen Matheson recalled in July 2015: «This album came about after finding old photographs when my parents died. They sent me on a journey of discovery about their early lives, their ancestors, the tales of hardship, emigration and the losses of war, which compelled me to connect musically with what was important to them. The songs themselves are a mixture of those learnt as a child and songs gathered from the amazing archives of digitized recordings by the School of Scottish Studies. It is the first time that I have recorded a solo album of purely Gaelic material and it's been a joy to collaborate with such great musicians from the World music scene.»[9]
In an interview by Neil McFadyen on 15 October 2015 for Folk Radio UK, Karen Matheson explained further: «I had been in the middle of a solo album when my mother got ill. [The album] was the usual mix of English contemporary song and traditional material, but the subsequent emotional journey made me want to explore the more traditional elements and the passing down of a culture and a heritage. The parallel between the Gaelic culture and that of other indigenous cultures was key. [...] The opportunity to work with Seckou Keita and Soumik Datta was very exciting. The ancient sounds of the African harp and the Indian sarod sit so beautifully with the traditional Gaelic melodies.» [...] «Things have gone full circle in that [Capercaillie and I] we started out with purely Gaelic trad material, went on to explore more contemporary song and now I find myself driven to look back again at the things that have made me who I am, the culture my parents left me, and the humbling effect of being able to sing these [old] songs.»[10]
In his Karen Matheson interview, Neil McFadyen added: «Ten years on from [her previous solo album Downriver], Karen [Matheson] has [recorded] her fourth solo album and, perhaps surprisingly, her first to be composed entirely of Gaelic song. There is, of course, a very good reason for this. The main inspiration behind the album came as a result of exploring some very old family photographs that came from her late parents. The ensuing voyage of family discovery resulted in Urram (Respect).[5] Many of the photo's adorning the sleeve of the album were unearthed by Karen at the time her parents both passed away within a short time of each other.»[10]
In his review of the new album on 18 October 2015, Herald Scotland's music critic Rob Adams also explained: «Karen Matheson's latest solo album – her first album of all Gaelic material – is inspired by the recent loss of her parents and the music and stories that accompanied their early lives and those of their ancestors.»[6]
Thus, the passing of Karen Matheson's parents and the discovery of the old photos were crucial factors leading to the all Gaelic orientation of the new album.
On 1 October 2015, the new album received a warm review from the Folk Radio UK's music critic Neil McFadyen, calling it an «outstanding new album»[10] and stating: «With the release of her fourth solo album, Urram, Karen [Matheson] takes the music and song of the Hebridean islands, mixes it with inspiration from her own family history, injects influences from three continents, and presents an album that is inventive, unique and utterly captivating.»[5] Moreover, upon the release of the new album, Folk Radio UK made in October 2015 Karen Matheson their "artist of the month".[10]
On 18 October 2015, Herald Scotland's music critic Rob Adams stated: «Karen Matheson's latest solo album [...] is the voice of Capercaillie exploring and revisiting her roots but with her relaxed, quietly commanding singing partnered superbly by musicians and instruments from outside her tradition. Soumik Datta's marvellously searching, soulful sarod playing brings out the heartbreak in opening waulking song, "Gura mise tha gu dubhach"'s dark narrative [while] the more humorous tale of "Ca na dh'fhag thu m'fhichead gini" steps all the more lightly as Seckou Keita's kora dances around Matheson's lightsome vocal. Elsewhere, Brendan Power's harmonica and Sorren MacLean's electric guitar perform similar roles in arrangements that also feature strings, courtesy of Mr McFall's Chamber, and a well-tempered band - all expertly piloted by pianist, accordionist and producer Donald Shaw.»[6]
On 20 October 2015, Urram received a four star album review (out of 5) from The Scotsman's music critic Jim Gilchrist, stating: «In her first solo album of purely Gaelic material, Karen Matheson delves into her family's past, their songs and others gleaned from archive recordings. At the same time, she's enlisted the musicianship not only of usual suspects such as husband and producer Donald Shaw on piano and Ewen Vernal on bass, but the strings of Mr McFall's Chamber and the more exotic sounds of Seckou Keita on kora or African harp-lute, and Indian slide guitarist Soumik Datta. The result combines the personal with some highly cosmopolitan connections. Matheson's singing is as warm-toned and beautifully nuanced as ever in songs such as the yearning of "'Eilean Fraoich" or "Cadal cha Dean mi". Occasionally, there's a risk of over-egging the pudding, as when a waulking song risks smothering in lush strings and the plangent whine of sarod. Elsewhere however, Keita's kora rings effectively through a Barraflyting song while the ensemble builds up a fine head of steam as east and west skip together through some puirt à beul.»[7]
In the January–February 2016 issue of (French magazine) Trad' Mag, folk critic Philippe Cousin awarded Urram full marks (giving the album a "Bravo!!!" award), praising the album's «thirteen tracks of pure beauty sublimated by Karen's crystalline voice.» and describing Urram as «a sensitive and stylish album with a modern sound which proves once again Karen Matheson's immense talent.»
In his 6 November 2020 article about the lead single "Cassiopeia Coming Through" from Karen Matheson's following album Still Time (later released on 12 February 2021), Folk Radio UK's music critic "FRUK Staff" stated: «Karen Matheson's last studio album Urram was released in 2015 and was hailed by Neil McFadyen, in his Folk Radio UK review, as the 'next step in a fascinating journey' on which Karen united the voices of the Hebrides with traditional and classical musicians from Scotland, Senegal, and India.»[11]
Scotland's Mr.McFall's Chamber group (string quartet) – Strings on tracks 5 & 9
Notes
↑ It is unclear whether the album was initially made available in France on 30 October 2015 via Amazon or on 27 November 2015 via Leclerc.
Related Research Articles
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".
Catrin Ana Finch is a Welsh harpist, arranger and composer. She was the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales from 2000 to 2004 and is visiting professor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Finch has given recitals at venues throughout the world.
fRoots was a specialist music magazine published in the UK between 1979 and 2019. It specialised in folk and world music, and featured regular compilation downloadable albums, with occasional specials. In 2006, the circulation of the magazine was 12,000 worldwide.
The Blood Is Strong is the first soundtrack album by folk rock band Capercaillie originally issued in 1988 and reissued in 1995 with six extra tracks by Survival Records. It was issued in North America by Valley Entertainment in 2000.
Delirium is the fourth studio album by folk rock band Capercaillie released in 1991 by Survival Records. It was issued in North America by Valley Entertainment in 2002.
Secret People is the fifth studio album by folk rock band Capercaillie. It reached number 40 in the UK album charts. It was re-released in North America by Valley Entertainment in 2003.
The Scots Trad Music Awards or Na Trads were founded in 2003 by Simon Thoumire to celebrate Scotland's traditional music in all its forms and create a high profile opportunity to bring the music and music industry into the spotlight of media and public attention. Nominations are made by the public and in 2019 over 100,000 public votes were expected across 18 categories.
Blazin' Fiddles are a contemporary Scottish fiddle band from the Highlands and Islands. They formed in 1998 to showcase Scotland's distinct regional fiddle styles. The band have a number of awards, including; the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards Live Act of the Year, Album of the Year and Folk Band of the Year. Their records are released on their own indie Blazin' Records label. They have been described as "...the Led Zeppelin of the Folk World."
The Poozies are a British all-female traditional folk band formed in 1990. They were at the forefront of a wave that revolutionised traditional Scottish and Gaelic music in the 1990s. Throughout the years they have toured worldwide, attracting recognition and appreciation for their eclectic choice of material, unusual and exciting arrangements, and notable vocal harmonies.
Seckou Keita is a kora player and drummer from Senegal. He is one of the few champions of the lesser-known kora repertoire from Casamance in southern Senegal.
Sixteen Tons of Bluegrass is an album by Pete Stanley and Wizz Jones produced by Chas McDevitt, and originally released in the UK1966 on Columbia Records. Wizz & Pete were probably the first British musicians to successfully interpret America's favourite traditional music for UK audiences. The album was also released on the Joker label in Italy as Way Out West, with a different cover design. Wizz Jones is quoted, describing the cover, "I've only seen this once, as I recall the alternative sleeve design is hilarious. A mini-skirted girl is perched on a gate being serenaded by a smart young man in blue jeans!"
The Paul McKenna Band are a five piece folk musical group from Glasgow, Scotland.
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".
On the Fly is the ninth album by the Irish folk band Patrick Street, released in 2007 on Loftus Music.
Ruth Keggin is a Manx Gaelic singer-songwriter. She holds degrees from the University of York and the University of Cambridge.
Talisk are a Scottish folk band composed of Mohsen Amini, Benedict Morris, and Charlie Galloway. The band rose to prominence after winning the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award and the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards "Folk Band of the Year" category in 2017.
Jenn Butterworth is an acoustic folk guitarist and singer based in Glasgow, Scotland, who was awarded the title "Musician of the Year" at the 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards, and was nominated for the same title at the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. She was a founder member of Kinnaris Quintet, who won the Belhaven Bursary for Innovation in Scottish Music at the 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards.
Rachel Newton is a Scottish singer and harpist. As well as playing both acoustic and electric harp she also plays viola, fiddle, piano and harmonium. She performs solo as well as in the bands The Shee, The Furrow Collective and Boreas and was formerly a member of the Emily Portman Trio. She was a member of the Lost Words Spell Songs project and is a co-founder of The Bit Collective, a group campaigning for equality in folk music.
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.
Solo Cissokho was a Norwegian/Senegalese Jazz and Mbalax musician known for playing the Kora. Born into a Senegalese griot family in Ziguinchor, Casamance, Solo continued the family tradition of Kora playing at a young age.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
[7] 
