Still Runrig (The Stamping Ground - Runrig)

Member Name: eilidhcatriona

Product:	The Stamping Ground - Runrig
Date:	01/06/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great album showing off the bands many talents

Disadvantages: Reduction in the number of Gaelic songs

1. Book Of Golden Stories
2. The Stamping Ground
3. An Sabhal Aig Neill
4. Wall Of China/One Man
5. The Engine Room
6. One Thing
7. The Ship
8. The Summer Walkers
9. Running To The Light
10. Oran Ailein/Leaving Strathconon
11. Big Songs Of Hope And Cheer
12. Oran

The Stamping Ground is Runrig's second album following the departure of their lead singer Donnie Munro, and featuring new singer Bruce Guthro. I've been a Runrig fan all my life, and it was hard to imagine them without Donnie. But this album, more than the previous one In Search of Angels, proved to me that they are still Runrig, just evolving.

This album goes back to a more folky feel than some of their early 90s albums, and the Scottish influence is quite clear. Don't let that put you off though, this is not folk music - Runrig are a rock-pop-folk band.

I won't go through every song on the album, but here is a summary of my favourite tracks...

The album opener, Book of Golden Stories, is a wonderful blend of vocals and rhythm. It is quite haunting, and a great showcase of Bruce Guthro's voice.

I love the song The Stamping Ground, it's an upbeat song with great rhythms and the usual fantastic lyrics - you always have to pay attention to Runrig's lyrics, they always have something to say or a story to tell.

The Engine Room is an instrumental, and is brilliant fun. This album is very rhythmic, and shows off the band's percussion skills, and nowhere more so than this track. It's quite heavy, but very upbeat, and one of my favourites from this album.

My favourite track on the album is Running to the Light. It's a beautiful song, very uplifting, with some almost ethereal fiddle playing. There is a driving beat but it never overpowers the vocals or instrument work.

Every track on this album is brilliant, and well worth a listen. Although it's not the same as Runrig "back in the day", throughout their now 30+ year career they have always evolved and changed, so moving on following Donnie's departure is nothing new.

The Stamping Ground would be a good place to start on the post-Donnie material for new Runrig fans. My favourites are still from the 80s/early 90s, but I truly love this album and would strongly recommend giving it a go.

Summary: Still the Runrig I know and love