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Last Reviews - "Uprooted" update on January 13, 2008 |
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Click to purchase "Uprooted" from Amazon.com Amazon.com August 11, 2001 Awesome Canadian
Gaelic Sounds This large family of musicians hail from the east coast of Mabou, Cape Breton Island, Inverness Co., Nova Scotia. They have topped Canadian music charts with their unique Celtic-influence sound. Their idea was to keep Celtic tradition alive in their music. What started out as a hobby The Rankin siblings decision to do more. They recorded their first album and they drove across Nova Scotia to businesses where they began to sell their self-titled debut. The album "Uprooted" (dedicated to their mother, Kathleen who died of breast cancer in 1997) is a blend of Irish, ancestral Scottish, Celtic and contemporary songs. It has electic zest, vitality and vigor heard from any Canadian Celtic band with a gamut of human emotions combining ethereal harmonies with pop grooves. The song 'Movin' On' is a drifter kind of sound with images of life on the road. The 'Parlour Medley' is an lively Irish jig. 'Weddings, Wakes and Funerals' has funky street beats and poetic spoken word from the dance hall themes. 'Long Way to Go' is packed with jam session attitude. The 'Farewell to Lochaber' is a tribute to their ancestral Scottish roots. The Gaelic, 'An Innis Àigh' (The Happy Isle) combines versatility of the ancient language and modern folk tradition. The whole album has a gritty and an edgy invocation. There's lots of fabulous piano, organ and fiddle arrangements in this album. The album was produced by three time Grammy winner George Massenburg having worked with James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat and Earth, Wind & Fire. It was recorded in Nashville and Nova Scotia. One can't go wrong with the quality of this album. Once you try this album you may want to try out their other fruits of labor. Unfortunately The Rankins have lost a gifted family member, John Morris Rankin who was killed in a tragic car accident in January 2000. This tragedy hasn't left the group undaunted. They continue to work onward to their goals in keeping the Celtic dream alive. If you're a Celtic music fan and like a Celtic and pop blend give them a try. This group shouldn't be passed up. A closer to fine recommendation for sure! July 3, 2000 Amazon.com Review 5 stars A fitting farewell to the progressive roots group Somewhere along the way of the Rankins' 10 year journey, they discovered that artistic integrity and musicial experimentation were far more valuable than all of the platinum records they were given. This is a superb recording, venturing deep into roots/folk rock. Wrongly labelled as a new-country CD with the release of the first single "Movin' On", they were never really given a chance to prove otherwise. "Let It Go" is an exceptionally well-crafted roots song. "Long Way To Go" rocks. The traditional numbers, as always, are rock solid. The Rankins never were and never will be remembered as a traditional band who played country music just for kicks. They incorporated their roots sound into a variety of styles more successfully than any other group. Fittingly, this final recording is their most progressive. Every song oozes that rich earthy roots sound. Every group should be as adventurous as they were - it's a lot more interesting than doing the same sound over and over again. Uniquely Canadian, they will be missed. May 27, 2000 Amazon.com Review 5 stars BUY THIS CD As much as I love the earlier Rankin Family albums - I think this is their best so far! It embraces a wide range of musical styles and melds it into an easy sounding, pleasurable album. The purists may lament this albums departure from the traditional Rankins folk / celtic sound in places, but the integration of other musical influences such as country into their traditional ensenble is refreshing. Overall, this album is a great introduction to the Rankins - being more progressive in nature than their previous works. Buy it and enjoy. You won't be disappointed April 24, 2000 Amazon.com Review 4 stars Did you all forget one of the most powerful songs on this CD I cannot believe that with all the reviews of this album people did not mention "Bells" This songs rivals such power songs as "Troy" by Sinead O'Conner and "Path Of Thorns" by Sarah McLaughlan...by far one of the best tracks on the CD and no hint of Nashville in it anywhere. January 17, 2000 Amazon.com Review 5 stars A Keeper that you will never sell or give away This is a disc that can be listened to over and over. The death on Jan 15,2000, of the oldest Rankin, John, ensures this will be the last real Rankin CD. A disc that will appeal to a wide array of listeners. January 17, 2000 Amazon.com Review 3 stars Inconsistent When I first heard this album I said to myself, "This band is breaking up." Different members were pulling in too many musical directions - the group identity so evident in previous albums was lost. The main problem with this album is they're trying too hard for a hit. "Movin On" features every country-western cliche in the book, and I can go to the country section of a record store, pick up a disc at random, and find something that sounds just like "Let It Go." And "Maybe You're Right" could have been recorded 20 years ago by ABBA. But then you hear Cookie's astounding vocal on Bruce Cockburn's "Someday I Walk", or the astonishingly original "Parlour Medley", or Heather's tribute to their late mother ("Cold Winds"), or Jimmy's ambitious but not quite successful attempt at a Celtic-rap hybrid ("Weddings, Wakes, and Funerals") and you remember what made this group so special. I'll miss this group tremendously. But for those of you hearing them for the first time, I'd recommend you start elsewhere. November 13, 1999 Amazon.com Review 5 stars WARNING: THIS CD CAN BE ADDICTIVE I based my decision to purchase this recording on the previous releases from this group and I must say, I am very pleased. One will find elements in this album which you think at first Dixie Chicks? Beck? Clannad? no and yes to all of the above. This does not fit any particular genre unlike the "Endless Seasons" and "North Country" which could easily fit into the folk music genre. If The Rankins are reading this, This is your best work yet....Well Done! October 28, 1999 Amazon.com Review 5 stars
Never better The Rankin Family's "Endless Seasons" is an album that I play again and again and again and again. "North Country" was a comparative disappointment, but "Uprooted" puts them back on track as far as my tastes are concerned. There's much more of a country music edge in this album, but the heavenly harmonies are still there. I hope the Rankins keep making an album at least once a year, because I will always be a fan (and, by the way, if Raylene has left the group, I sure hope they tempt her back). If you want a combo of Nashville and the Celtic mood, buy this album for sure! September 30, 1999 Amazon.com Review 5 stars
Superb melange of celtic country This recording is incredible. It has a wonderful variety of styles, ranging from country to celtic, with its jiggy tunes and mellow ballads. Each piece has one true thing in common: The gorgeous vocals of Cookie, Raylene and Heather. These ladies blend like the Roches, but with the added bonus of having beautiful voices to boot! Not only do I recommend listening to this CD, but I would also recommend doing so with earphones. There are so many interesting and subtle vocal nuances that one can easily miss when the album is played as background music. The Farmer's Daughter is a good example. Favorite tunes are Bells, One Day I Walk, Parlour Song, Let It Go and Greenberg Medley. This is one of the few CD's in my collection that didn't have to grow on me. I loved it as much the first time I heard it as I do now, and remain convinced that the best music on this earth comes from Canada's maritime provinces. August 5, 1999 Amazon.com Review 5 stars
A great, eclectic album
I came late to the Rankins, and bought their CD "Uprooted"
after catching the single "Movin' On" on CMT's Jammin' Country
video show. After a few plays, I've come to the conclusion it's the best
CD of its type since The Mavericks "Trampoline." The question
is, what type? Impossible to categorize in a single phrase or genre, the
uniting factor is that the CD is filled with great music and voices.
There is a selection of wonderful Gaellic music, break your heart
ballads, the terrific foot-tapper "Movin' On" and the
brilliantly creative "Weddings, Wakes and Funerals"a song that
is lyrically poetic and musically surprising. "Uprooted" is an
amazingly good album. Now if I could just figure out what section of my
CD rack to put it on. That won't be a problem for a while. Right now I
can find it on my CD player. Five Stars June 21, 1999
Incredibly beautiful! The Rankins show their talent once again in this incredible album. My favorite songs on this are "Bells" and "Let it Go", but every song on it is beautiful. I am glad to be in Canada where I get to hear this music often. May 10, 1999
Great new release from an under-appreciated band The Rankin Family once again shows how much great music comes from north of the border. While this album is a bit more country than celtic, as well as more commercial than previous releases, it is still well worth a listen. |
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