John Goldie & the High Plains

Here and Now

own label

Lanarkshire-based acoustic guitarist John Goldie travels the world giving solo concerts that showcase his remarkable ability to sound like at least three musicians playing simultaneously. Here, though, there’s no illusion as Goldie’s strong, clear guitar picking is accompanied by a string quartet that matches his robust energy and soulful, sensitive melodic playing to order.

Stylistically varied, Goldie’s compositions straddle the worlds of folk, country, bluegrass and swing, with the opening Too Close to the Campfire sounding as if said campfire could be in a Scottish glen or up a Tennessee creek.

Violinist Seonaid Aitken, who has written the string arrangements, goes toe to toe with Goldie, trading choruses on the fingerbustin’ hoe down of Line Trance, and sets a cracking pace for Goldie to follow on Queens Park Trot’s gypsy jazz twang.

Those Who Fell is more reflective, suggesting a Jewish influence. The charming Downward Spiral evokes a slightly olde worlde grandeur and Flyin’ Scotsman hints at the heavy metal riffing that Goldie enjoyed in his youth. The musicianship is of a consistently high quality, with JJ Gilmour adding a gruff but tender vocal cameo on the closing title track.