The Outside Track
        Rise Up

The Outside Track are
Mairi Rankin
One of the hugely influential Rankin Family – legends on the Canadian music scene – she plays fiddle, sings and also step-dances up a storm.

Teresa Horgan
Teresa Horgan, from Co. Cork, has an emotive singing style. “She has just enough world weariness in her vocals to interpret…songs and make them her own.” – Tony Lawless

Ailie Robertson:
Ailie Robertson from Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s leading young traditional musicians. She is a musician in the broadest sense: composer, arranger, teacher, improviser and harp virtuoso

Fiona Black: From the Highland village of Evanton, Fiona Black developed a love of music and dance from a young age. The feisean movement provided her the opportunity to nurture her passion through learning to play the piano accordion.

Michael Ferrie is an award-winning guitarist and composer from Callander, Scotland

Winner of 'Best Group' in both the Live Ireland awards and the Tradition In Review awards, The Outside Track are one of the top Celtic acts in the world. They were 'Best Live Act' nominees in the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards, and won the German Radio Critics Prize, for their album Flash Company. Live Ireland called them, 'Among the top bands in the world - stunning on every cut!'.

The Outside Track’s marriage of Celtic music, song and dance has been rapturously received around the world. Hailing from Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton, its five members are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music on this as a foundation. They blend fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, flute, whistle, step-dance and vocals with breathtaking vitality. Their blend of boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre has won them a large following around the globe.

Winner of 'Best Group' in both the Live Ireland awards and the Tradition In Review awards, The Outside Track are one of the top Celtic acts in the world. They were 'Best Live Act' nominees in the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards, and won the German Radio Critics Prize, for their album Flash Company. Live Ireland called them, 'Among the top bands in the world - stunning on every cut!'.

The Outside Track’s marriage of Celtic music, song and dance has been rapturously received around the world. Hailing from Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton, its five members are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music on this as a foundation. They blend fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, flute, whistle, step-dance and vocals with breathtaking vitality. Their blend of boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre has won them a large following around the globe.

Also available from Copperplate:

The Outside Track: Christmas Star

Ailie Robertson: First Things First

Female Musician of the Year – Ailie Robertson

Several cd’s with the group Outside Track, three solo albums and multiple published books mark this brilliant harpist as someone special. The brand new album, “Rise Up” by Outside Track simply solidifies what is well known within the music. This lovely lady’s music constantly reaffirms what it means to be simultaneously, deeply gifted in several creative areas. But, the harp is Ailie’s wheelhouse. She composes, arranges, teaches and inspires daily. In demand as a session artist as well, she herself constantly “rises up”. It is no accident that the very first notes you hear on Rise Up are Ailie’s harp laying down the rhythmic route for the entire project. It is hard to give these Awards and not repeat the same words a few times. For now, let’s repeat “beautiful” and “stunning”. Her music is both. And, so is she.

Audio Samples.

Track 1: Road to Rollo Bay

Track 2:The Wife of Usher's Well

Track 3: Eleanor Plunkett

Track 4: The Silver Bullet

Track Listing

1. Dark Reels
2. Sweet Lover of Mine
3. Road to Rollo Bay
4. The Banks of Sweet Dundee
5. The Wahoo
6. The Wife of Usher’s Well
7. The Queen of Rangoon
8. Neillí Pluincéad (Eleanor Plunkett)
9. Happy Reels
10. The Silver Bullet
11. Lady Diamond

Watch The Outside Track on You Tube  Dark Reels

Press Reviews

SONGLINES 4/19   The Celtic quintet really soar on their fifth album

Award-winning Celtic five-piece The Outside Track have a strong pedigree for a band that live in different countries. They’ve got thousands of gigs and several studio albums under their belt, and for their fifth, Rise Up, the quintet (hailing from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton) step up a further gear, with a polished, stirring record that flies high like the bird on the record’s cover. The image presumably refers to the theme of Rise Up; all the songs and dances here were written for, or about, women. This thematic thread knits together a diverse set of pieces.

Instrumental opener ‘Dark Reels’ (by harpist Ailie Robertson) morphs from a delicate harp theme to a rip-roaring whirligig of a dance. Broadside ballad ‘The Banks of Sweet Dundee’ flows like a cool river and features one of many wonderful vocal performances by Teresa Hogan, whose burnished voice often send shivers down the spine. Hogan’s flute-playing is also a stand-out feature on Rise Up, intertwining with Mairi Rankin’s fiddle with sparkling results. The Outside Track also skilfully blend traditional and contemporary styles of arrangement and performance. As on ‘ Dark Reels’, closing tune ‘Lady Diamond’ carries a heavier bass sound that adds to the drama but manages not to overwhelm the music. TIM WOODALL

IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE 3.19

Album number five from this international quartet of Celtic musicians is as good as any the Outside Track has done, and they’ve produced some smashers previously. Driving reels, delicate airs, hard-hitting ballads and a bit of comic relief, all arranged perfectly for fiddle, accordion, flute and harp, with a few guests on guitars and drums. How could it be improved?

Well bagpipes obviously, but apart from that there’s little I would change. Ailie, Mairi, Teresa and Fiona have consciously focused on material by or about women, which to be honest includes most of Scots and Irish music. They’ve also avoided almost all reference to drink, which does cut it down a lot. The opening Dark Reels are three fine new finger-tingling compositions. Sweet Lover of Mine is one of the more bizarre variations on the ballad Scarborough Fair, and The Banks of Sweet Dundee is even more unusual in that the ill-matched lovers are finally united without either of them dying.

The Wahoo combines jigs and reels in a flying medley, but not as swift as Brian Finnegan’s supersonic Queen of Rangoon. In between is another North American ballad, a swing version of The Wife of Usher’s Well, on the edge of Teresa’s vocal sweet spot. You don’t often hear Eleanor Plunkett performed convincingly both as an air and a song, so this recording is a rare treat. Ailie’s harp captures the air beautifully, and the words are delivered in Irish with feeling. Happy Reels are exactly that, more of the band’s own compositions, ending on Mairi’s sparky Happy Opposite Day. Her Cape Breton fiddle leads into a heavyweight strathspey for Silver Bullet, partnered with Fiona’s accordion, a sort of Phyllis & Alyce routine, until the band joins in on a rake of reels.

Rise Up ends with a proper murder misery ballad, going all the way back to Chaucer’s time, arranged with Moorish musical references. Album number five certainly won’t hurt the Outside Track’s reputation, and their live act this past summer was magnificent, so look out for them at a venue near you. Alex Monaghan

FATEA WEBSITE
Reviews

The Outside Track: Rise Up
Having established themselves as a constant presence on the international traditional music scene over the past 11 years, the Outside Track bring us their fifth studio album, Rise Up. Multi-award winning both as individuals and a collective, the talent and musicianship of this band is without question. With their latest offering the band have showcased the talents of female writers, featuring the works of Emily Smith, Jenna Reid and Lauren MacColl, as well as the bands own compositions.

The songs all feature the crystal clear vocals of Teresa Horgan, with excellent delivery throughout. The evocative and haunting Lady Diamond and Eleanor Plunkett showcase the groups arranging skills to create really emotive versions of both these beautiful songs. The Wife of Usher's Well is an American influenced take on a much collected traditional song. A more uplifting choice is The Banks of Sweet Dundee. Not only is it a rare folk song with a happy ending but the band have created an arrangement full of life and vitality. The standout song however is Emily Smith's Sweet Lover of Mine. Originally featured on the 2011 release, Traveller's Joy, this is a beautiful melody for a set of older lyrics that suits Teresa's voice perfectly.

While the song choices offer a lot of variety of colour and character, the tune sets are all faster paced, showcasing the musical virtuosity of this group. The Dark Reels sees Aillie Robertson's intricate reel Craigard seamlessly drift into Lauren MacColls more insistent And sheep will eat men before increasing the intensity again with another of Ailllie's tunes, Gaït Genouël's reel. The tune writing skills of Teresa Horgan and Fiona Black are both heard in The Wahoo set, while Mairi Rankin's can be heard in the Happy Reels. The Road to Rollo Bay is a lovely set of jigs, well-paced and cleverly arranged. The harp is particularly noticeable in this arrangement both as a melody and accompaniment. The Queen of Rangoon is from the flute and whistle virtuoso Brian Finnegan and is a fantastic standalone reel.

Overall, this is a well thought out album with something for everyone. If you like strong instrumentals and traditional songs with a twist then this album delivers both with ease. The band is on tour from the end of January, covering the UK, US, Canada and Germany so worth catching if they are playing near you.  Nicky Grant

  www.folkradiouk.com
There’s an interesting and very welcome paradox about folk music. Music that is, at its roots, regional, is regularly perceived as providing a form of national identity, and in the 21st century has become a movement that fosters truly international collaborations. Masters of Pan-Celtic music, The Outside Track, have been at the heart of that international movement for over a decade, and this month they release their 5th studio album, Rise Up.

Rise Up is a collection of songs and tune sets that celebrate the band’s own inspirations and role models, in an album of new compositions alongside contemporary and traditional work, all written for, or about women. As the album’s opening, Dark Reels, proves, it’s a theme that’s worthy of exploration. Ailie Robertson‘s harp provides the set’s soft opening. There’s a gentle build-up of strings and light percussion, and by the time Teresa Horgan‘s whistles join the mix, it’s a whirling eddy of sound that will sweep you off your feet. Fiona Black‘s accordion joins to continue the set in more assertive tones, driven along by Michael Ferie‘s guitar towards the fast-paced conclusion, where Mairi Rankin‘s fiddle leads whistle, accordion and lush harp harmonies. With two new melodies from Ailie (Craigard, Gart Genouel’s Reel) and Lauren MacColl‘s And Sheep will eat Men; Dark Reels sets the tone for an album that marks a very welcome return to the studio.

Hailing from Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Ireland and Scotland, The Outside Track formed in 2005 at the Irish World Academy Of Music And Dance in Limerick. Their blend of harp, fiddle, flute, whistles and vocals has resulted in four critically acclaimed albums and gained them an enthusiastic international audience. The band have won the Best Group category in both the Live Ireland and Tradition In Review awards. They were Best Live Act nominees in the 2013 MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards, and won the German Radio Critics’ Prize for their 2012 album Flash Company. That’s quite a track record, and the good news is that Rise Up not only matches the high standards the band have set in the past, but it also exceeds them.

Song plays an important part in The Outside Track’s repertoire, and since joining the band for their last album, Light up the Dark, County Cork flautist Teresa Horgan has delivered flawless, emotive vocal performances with an impressive range of traditional ballads and contemporary song. In Rise Up those ballads come from a variety of sources.

Teresa learned The Banks of Sweet Dundee from the singing of Sheffield’s Jack Rutter, and the quiet guitar and vocal opening highlight how perfectly suited her voice is to the art of story-telling. Soon there’s even more to enjoy, as Cormac Byrne‘s bodhrán sets a rhythm, tempts accordion to follow suit, and teases some beautiful colour from clarsach and fiddle. As the instrumental bridge morphs into a short reel with accordion and soaring whistles, we’re reminded of exactly what is so appealing, and accomplished, about The Outside Track’s music. It’s how the band combine a variety of influences but are still able to add their own, unmistakable, signature to a piece. The same qualities shine clearly when they take inspiration from The Gloaming’s arrangement of Neillí Pluincéad (Eleanor Plunkett). In a beautifully measured performance from the whole band; Teresa seems to savour every word, clarsach and fiddle provide a bridge that you wish could last forever, then the vocal returns even clearer and more emphatic than before.

There’s no shortage of variety, either. The Wife of Usher’s Well is delivered with assurance and mastery, and offers more than a hint of Appalachian colour, in a song that has made the trans-Atlantic journey many times. Sweet Lover of Mine makes fine use Emily Smith‘s contemporary melody. As Nell’s suitor receives his list of Herculean tasks, the sweet, lilting vocal is carried by a rich, gentle guitar towards lightly plucked strings and a soft sweep of the accordion.

We’re reminded, though, that The Outside Track are capable of even more than the finest song interpretations, with a collection of instrumental sets brimming with craft and vitality.

Brian Finnegan’s The Queen of Rangoon is given a magnificent, extended individual outing, all flute, fiddle and fire; while Road to Rollo Bay sums up the band nicely with three jigs from Canada, Scotland and Ireland. Opening with Michael’s rich bass notes on guitar to accompany an accordion/fiddle duet, the set moves on to a perfectly matched response from flute and clarsach until bodhrán drives the whole ensemble to more assertive conclusion with a wild glint in everyone’s eye.

The Wahoo opens with Teresa’s flute, in homage to her treasured musical heritage of the Cork, Kerry and Limerick borderlands; enjoys a trip down Matt Griffin and Meabh Begley’s Slippery Slide before bursting into a lively celebration with Fiona’s accordion, and her Ferry Road Reel. The equally jubilant Happy Reels sees the exultant, soaring flute and fiddle of Alfi’s Tune, move to the dance floor for Mairi’s Happy Opposite Day – all bright light, life and dancing as accordion, fiddle and flute take us on a lively step around the dance floor. The final set on the album, The Silver Bullet, is a stirring collection of Cape Breton tunes from Kinnon Beaton, Wendy MacIsaac and Rosemary Poirier. With music this fine you never really want it to come to an end, but there’s one final chance to enjoy traditional song before the album closes.

The tragedy of Lady Diamond is often delivered at a brisk pace. On Rise Up, however, the opening of Teresa’s vocal and Ailie’s harp extends every, glorious, note. Among a misty, mysterious atmosphere, the rich bass notes, bowed and plucked, that emanate from the harp send shivers down the spine – like an ominous shadow behind Teresa’s vocal. There’s a slow, steady, building of tension that concludes in a masterful release of pace, and an impeccable finale for this wonderful album.

The Outside Track have proven time and again that their unique, multicultural perspective, their skill as musicians, composers, performers and arrangers, and their longing to share the music they create together weaves wonderful music that entertains, fascinates and rewards. Rise Up is a magnificent album that puts The Outside Track firmly back in the spotlight, as one of the most accomplished bands on the international folk scene.  Neil McFadyen

www.folking.com website
When Rise Up hit my doormat I realised that it was a long time since I’d heard anything from The Outside Track. In fact it has been six years since Flash Company but an international band based in Scotland is always going to be very busy. There has been a line-up change with Norah Rendell and Cillian Ó’Dálaigh leaving the band to be replaced by Teresa Horgan. Technically, it was an all-female line-up that recorded Rise Up but Michael Ferrie, who plays guitar throughout, has now officially joined them.

The album opens with ‘Dark Reels’, a mighty set of tunes opening gently enough with Ailie Robertson’s harp but getting a bit heavier than you might expect. Two of the three are by Robertson and the third is by Lauren MacColl and they make for an excellent starter. Next is ‘Sweet Lover Of Mine’, a variation of ‘Scarborough Fair’ sung by Horgan followed by ‘Road To Rollo Bay’, a set of three tunes from the band’s homelands: Canada, Scotland and Ireland. The first of these was written by Shirley (or Shelly) Campbell from Prince Edward Isle and the others are by Jenna Reid and Neil Vallely.

‘The Banks Of Sweet Dundee’ is an unusual tale of attempted matrimony and successful homicide while ‘The Wife Of Usher’s Well’ presents a slightly unfamiliar take on the story set over a pulsing arrangement. ‘Neillí Pluincéad’ is one of the few titles that seems better in English than Irish and it’s unusual to hear O’Carolan’s words as well as the tune of ‘Eleanor Plunkett’. This is perhaps most haunting track. In contrast to the opener, ‘The Happy Reels’ is a pair of tunes written by Horgan and Mairi Rankin to cheer us up and ‘The Silver Bullet’ is a set of rocking tunes from Cape Breton. Finally, ‘Lady Diamond’ is a big take on another celebrated murder ballad in all its gory detail and a fitting end to another splendid album from The Outside Track. Dai Jeffries