Enter The Haggis offers an effortless and spirited mix of musical styles on
Casualties Of Retail, their fourth album. Produced by
Joao Carvalho (
Slainte Mhath, Pilate, Hawksley Workman) this album cartwheels from traditional Irish folk and reels, complete with
Brian Buchanan's blistering fiddle playing, to Americana-style hootenanny to, dare we say it, hard rock. True, they've written some undeniably fantastic songs here, but
Enter The Haggis' greatest achievement is arguably making this diverse mash-up sound completely cohesive and au natural.
Casualities Of Retail opens up with an unrelenting and hypnotic jig called
"Musicbox" propelled with a smart syncopated rhythm section, (deftly performed by
Mark Abraham and
James Campbell on the bass and drums, respectively), and dissonant, yet effective electric guitar, (played by
Trevor Lewington), not to mention
Craig Downie's highland bagpipes (he also plays the Deger pipes, tin whistle, jaw harp and harmonica- sings, too), thus setting the tone for the whole freakin' rave up.
"Another Round" is a bonafide Whiskey Drinkin' Tune landing somewhere between The Count Bishops' cult classic 'Train, Train' and the Charlie Daniels Band.
"Congress" is an instrumental of recognizable reel styling, but comes out of the gate executed, not on the traditional fiddle, but on guitar! The whole thing eventually breaks down to near-abandonment of the initial genre setting until it sounds like something perpetrated by The Buena Vista Social Club before snapping back to an all-out Celtic folk jam.
"Minstrel Boy" is like the best stuff off Elvis Costello's This Year's Model and the Pogues' Peace And Love, then
"Moved Through The Fair" is a classic and poignant love song ambling between the sheets with Nick Drake, Paul Simon and Cliff Richard, if that's possible.
And on it goes; Big, Bright Pop Rock/Celtic loops/fiendish promenades/hi-speed funk and blues/traditional Irish folk; something for everyone with any soul played with boundless heart on everything
ETH could possibly get their hands on. You'd be dead not to like this.
