The Cottars "On Fire!"

Friday night we welcome Celtic youthful sensations The Cottars. They're Celtic Kids, actually teenagers, who are stirring up the Celtic music community around the world.

Their latest release is "On Fire," which is a pleasant introduction for those of us less familiar with Celtic.

The kick-off track is a pop-sounding "Ready for the Storm," written by Scotland's Dougie Maclean. A nice way to ease into the CD. Lush strings and piano and primarily the young-sounding voice of one of the girls, with rich harmony singing backing her up.

The next track is a traditional tune "Callin on Song" which The Cottars first heard Steeleye Span do. Harmony singing, sometimes without musical accompaniment.

OK, the pop stuff is done, and the drumming, whistling, guitaring and fiddling begins!

The CD continues with a wide range of sounds that should please the newcomer to Celtic and, since the group digs into the traditional canon, those more familiar with this wing of international folk music should be fairly happy as well. Make no mistake though--these kids have a contemporary feel in their music. This doesn't sound old timey to your humble blogger's ears.

Click here to listen to several cuts from "On Fire!" yourself.

I asked the young guy pictured below, Ciaran MacGillivray (who's about 17), if they're working on a new CD, since this one came out in 2004. "We’ll start recording a new CD between now and spring," he said. "We have 95% of the material ready and, once we find time to get into the studio, we’ll start laying down the tracks. This 3rd CD will likely be part of the US record deal that we expect to sign in the coming weeks."

Nice Rolling Stones t-shirt Ciaran!

I don't want to leave one of them out. Up top you saw Fiona MacGillivray and Roseanne MacKenzie doing their Celtic thang. Ciaran is over there, without his eyeglasses.

Here's Jimmy MacKenzie, the old man of the group. He's about 18! And almost every picture they've got he's wearing that damn hat!

Jimmy plays guitar and the bodhran, which looks like this.
















For a more formal review of "On Fire!" click this link http://www.thecottars.com/viewnews.php#13.

Tickets are still available. Go to www.ncfta.org for info. See you Friday night!