The band full of still quite young Hebridean talent released their second album a year ago already but for reasons I cannot explain, I only listened to it now.
This is weird because Osgarra, the debut album from 2018, was so ready and together for a young band’s opening salvo and I really liked it – it was also one of the first albums I wrote about on this site! So I should have been awake and alert for the follow-up but Deò inconceivably slipped me when it was released.
Well anyway, it’s a year gone and I have now listened to it twice. It’s a good album, no doubt, and I enjoy every tune, but… I dunno, I feel this bunch has the resources to reach a bit out of their comfort zone, be just a wee bit more adventurous. I really think they have more in their toolbox than what they put up here.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the individual tracks, but the step away from Osgarra is surprisingly small, and I also think the more modern, folk rock leaning tunes on Deò are not as bright and buzzing as the more trad-based ones. I’m not quite sure if the Tide Lines style of Caledonian rock is the natural fit for Beinn Lee… but perhaps it’s just me (very much possible).
Now dontcha get me wrong – this is a fine release as it is, it’s just that maybe I expected just a bit more new colors… But these guys are young and the pandemic must have affected the band’s arc (my live band was frozen for almost two years because of covid) and I do emphasise that this is a fun album full of good tunes! Still, though, I now look forward to the third chapter with anticipation – and faith in their talent.
FolkNotes 