A Day a Month

It is hard to believe that A Day a Month is the first collaboration of those ubiquitous stalwarts of the Scottish traditional music scene, Mairearad Green and Mike Vass, as a duo. A labour of love, the album consists purely of traditional melodies; it's a cornucopia of some of the duo's favourite tunes. ‘Jigs’ sees a subtle but effective melding of Vass' familiar synth and Green's accordion. ‘Buntàta' is a playful homage to that staple of the Scots diet – the potato – taking the Gaelic tune ‘Tha’m Buntàta Mòr' as its source. ‘Reels’ is a toe-tapping interpretation of three classics – ‘Miss Isabella Reid’s', ‘The Earl of Seafield’s' and ‘Sheep Shanks’ – and is an inspired demonstration of the tightness of the duo's skills as musicians. Closing track ‘Hail’ is more subdued – a celebration of drunkenness, complete with a woozy, swaying air.
The duet of Green's accordion and Vass' fiddle is the real highlight here though. It's beautifully produced, capturing the superb musicianship of two performers at their height. Let's hope we hear more from them soon.