Some of you might be asking yourselves what the folk is this all about?Yes, your humble scribe reveals another lesser-known side of himself. The one that admits that some songs classified as the sort of music normally associated with men with beards and big woolly jumpers played in the back of small, formerly smokey pubs in all the nooks, crannies and villages of Scotland can be quite good.
James Yorkston seems to have been around the Scottish music scene for forever and a day. He first came to prominence in Edinburgh as a young up and coming musician who gained support slots with such luminaries as Bert Jansch and John Martyn. By the turn of the century he was a mainstay of the what was then the fledgling Fence Collective and by 2001 he landed a contract with the famous indie-label Domino Records, with the first product hitting the shops in early 2002.
He's now released six albums on Domino, none of which have gotten any higher than about #150 in the charts. But such is the quality of the man's recordings that the label show no sign of looking to offload him from their roster.
Now I can't claim to have everything he's ever recorded and released whether under his own steam, with his backing band The Athletes or the many other artistes he was worked beside over the years. I've three albums and four singles/EPs and they're the sort of records I turn to every now and again when I feel the need for something melodic, beautiful and soothing. James Yorkston has a rich, velvety voice and he composes the most lovely and emotive tunes,many of which which have been known to reduce this grown man to tears when he's had a few drinks. Certainly, the only time I ever really felt homesick during my extended time in Canada back in 2007 was when I came in late from work last night, opened a bottle of chilled white wine and played his debut LP Moving Up Country three times in succession.
And from that same LP is a single that was released to great indifference in May 2002.
mp3 : James Yorkston & The Athletes - St Patrick
mp3 : James Yorkston & The Athletes - St Patrick (Vitus Mix)
mp3 : James Yorkston & The Athletes - Catching Eyes
mp3 : James Yorkston & The Athletes - Blue Madonnas
Stunning in every possible way.
3 comments:
Love this single, the 10" is about six feet away from me. have bought all the albums, and he's eually as good as his fence chums King Creosote and the Pictish Trail, IMHO.
Great stuff jc. Let it out mate.
Then sit aside me with a dimpled glass and we can talk about Jesus.
Moving up country is a gorgeous set of songs
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