A Place in Time

Comprising Ryan Couper (guitar, mandolin), Erik Peterson (percussion, vocals), Lewie Peterson (banjo, mandolin) and Jonny Polson (guitar, vocals), the Shetland-based four-piece have an impressive and accomplished concert background. This, their debut, captures something of their splendid traditional Shetland background while flirting very confidently with bluegrass.
Mainly composed of choice covers and a few well-structured self-penned tunes thrown in for good measure, it works very well. Opener ‘Trip to Breckon’ is a feisty little piece of Shetland bluegrass distilled from Tim Edey and Michael McGoldrick. It's a sweaty and assertive opener that sets the scene for the energetic enthusiasm that follows. ‘Delunna’, named after Couper's family home, combines a sweet Jerry Holland track, ‘Mutt's Favourite’, and a Lewie Peterson-penned tune ‘Montezuma's Revenge’, which rattles the pace a little. Some fine voices are on display here too: ‘Atween Da Wadders’ is a sweet little song about identity and longing delivered with a real tenderness in Erik Peterson's vocals. There is an impressive mix of traditions here, from Scottish and Irish folk tunes to Americana. This Shetland band know their stuff.