Gillebride MacMillan

Freumhan Falaichte

Dealas

Gillebride MacMillan has reached a huge new audience through his portrayal of Gwyllyn the Bard in the television drama Outlander, a role that suits him particularly as, off-screen, he is a song-maker, as well as a Gaelic singer with a wonderfully rich, distinctive voice.

The songs on this, his third album, in many cases have the sound of bardic works that might have been passed down through generations, and yet as a collection it is as contemporary as tonight’s news bulletins.

Duan an fhògarraich and A chailinn donn are both inspired by the plight of refugees and Feum thu ràdh a-rithist? laments our inability to learn the lessons of war, although as with Tha d’ eanchainn àlainn, with its underlying theme of coming to terms with autism, the instrumental arrangements and fine production by Mhairi Hall bring an upbeat, even poppy mood.

Fans of MacMillan’s traditional singing will find special satisfaction in Craibh an teaghlaigh and Eun beag where words and melodies luxuriate in his marvellously expressive delivery and there are splendid contributions from Fraser Fifield, on whistle and kaval, Anna-Wendy Stevenson (fiddle and viola) and singer Rosa Cedrón, who lights up Santiago’s Gaelic-Galician celebration.

Rob Adams