Punch

On this eighth studio album from the long-running Scottish group, half of The Poozies are new to the party, and with them the celebrations are getting wilder. Newcomer Sarah McFadyen (fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocals) is from Orkney – clearly discernable in her vocals on the amusing ‘Soaking’ – and alongside her Tia Files (guitar, percussion, fiddle, vocals) brings dynamism to this spirited record. With two and sometimes three fiddles at once, strummed guitars, Mary MacMaster's electro harp and Files’ bass drum and stomp box adding a kick, this is high-tempo, festival-headlining stuff. The tracks are split pretty evenly between instrumentals and songs. The former, such as ‘Knees of Fire’ and the eponymous title-track (which does indeed pack quite a punch), are infectious, with unison melodies from the phalanx of fiddles leading the line. Clocking in at around six minutes, these instrumentals are weighty pieces, many of them being original compositions. The songs, with lead vocals supported by a trio of supporting voices, such as the Gaelic ‘Ailein’ and ‘Wedding Song’, have a lighter and more evocative quality. The aforementioned ‘Soaking’ adds a dash of wit and the final, soft, close-harmony ballad, ‘Easily Led’, is spine-tingling.