Knucklehead Circus

Marking their 14th record and in their 29th year, Old Blind Dogs kickstart their anniversary celebrations with a blisteringly seductive set of tunes and songs. The band’s idea behind the recording was to create an ‘enjoyable, cohesive and uplifting album,’ and the boys have certainly achieved this with a fine mix of traditional tunes, folk songs and a few more contemporary tracks thrown in for good measure.

‘John Barleycorn’ is given a particularly Scottish twist, delivered in Jonny Hardie’s Scottish dialect. It’s a raw, palpably earthy recording which contrasts well with the later ‘Farewell Tae the Haven’; a plaintive, bittersweet interpretation of the Davy Steele song. There are some fine instrumentals here too. ‘Thin Man’ sees Ali Hutton’s pipes come to the fore, while closing tracks ‘Highland Lassie’ parts 1 and 2 provide a fitting, almost reflective, set of tunes. The title-track, alongside ‘Suite Bretonne’, ensures a sweaty dance or two. ‘Wild Mountainside’ sees the boys turn a romantic eye to their home, with a rather sweet cover of the John Douglas song. With an affectionate yet playful attitude to tradition Knucklehead Circus is a joyous, glorious, and thoroughly Scottish precursor to the Old Blind Dogs’ 30th anniversary.