(2020) Rowan Leslie - Escaping the Dawn


Review:
When you play fiddle the way Rowan Leslie does, word gets around. 10 years on from his first album (a collection of traditional fiddle tunes), his second, Escaping the Dawn features Leslie the writer while still playing (mostly) within the tradition. Composed since the release of his first disc, these songs establish him beyond question. While he can play with abandon, he also understands the need for restraint. There’s no point in being showy just for the sake of it. A freshly rosined bow gives off a small cloud of dust for the first few strokes, “which I have always referred to as ‘a whisper of rosin’.” Hence the title for the two waltzes comprising “A Whisper of Rosin / Emma and Kenny’s First Dance.” The latter half having been written for his dentist’s daughter’s wedding in his hometown of Ballymena. When the fiddle enters you can visualize the cloud floating as Leslie gently coaxes notes out. There’s a subtle beauty to Emma and Kenny’s First Dance. It’s easy to picture the couple lovingly waltzing around the room. A set of three reels, “The Siren/ Mama Brown’s /Code Orange” illustrate Leslie’s depth. “The Siren” is based on Greek mythology, while “Mama Brown’s” was commissioned as a mother’s Christmas gift by an Irish dancer and the third reel, “Code Orange,” was dedicated to a young woman. Based on the speed alone, “Cold Orange” establishes that the young woman has clearly kept Leslie on his toes, or perhaps it was the other way around. Jigs are the order of the day for “Papa’s Jig No. 1” and “Papa’s Jig No. 2,” commemorating the 70th birthday of his father. The third, “Jess the Wise” was named for his dad’s cocker spaniel. You can almost see the dog waiting by the door for Leslie or his dad to return home. As the pace picks up with “Papa’s Jig No. 2,” your appreciation for the work of  David Foley on bodhran, along with Graeme Armstrong’s guitar begins to grow. “Escaping the Dawn” immortalizes an early morning drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Travelling west with the sun rising behind him, Leslie drove on into the darkness, “outrunning the day.” There’s a sense of melancholy to the track that the violin captures perfectly while Andrew White’s accordion adds to the wistful nature of the moment. Straddling a line between the traditional Irish music and jazz, “Natasha’s Anthem” effectively creates its own template. The fiddle slips in and out of styles, matched by ‘s fine accordion playing with certain phrases most definitely coming from a jazzier world, while others and imbued with a more traditional framework. It’s a wonderful moment written for a student and friend who wanted something upbeat for his fiancée. A warning to others, “Departure Lounge Nap” immortalizes Leslie’s misspent youth. Attempting to fly home from Newcastle to Belfast while at university, he fell asleep in the departure lounge after drinking all night missing his flight. The slow song has a slightly sad edge to it as if, at last, a lesson has been learned. With his slightly unorthodox approach to traditional music, Rowan Leslie has created a set of music that attempts the feat of Escaping the Dawn. While that may seem like something of a fool’s mission, this album clearly is not.





Track Listing:
1.The Siren / Mama Brown's / Code Orange 04:37
2.Papa's Jig No. 1 / Papa's Jig No. 2 / Jess the Wise 04:57
3.A Whisper of Rosin / Emma and Kenny's First Dance 04:54
4.Blackthorn and Willow / The Stoker / That's Us Now 04:39
5.Escaping the Dawn 05:20
6.The Linnet / Bound for Ballymena / Brooklyn 05:05
7.Sorry, Rose / Kathryn's Reel / Vests are the Best 05:25
8.Natasha's Anthem 02:42
9.Departure Lounge Nap 04:37
10.Goldfinch Station / The Big Top / Dancing with Goats 04:57


Media Report:
Genre: acoustic, celtic, folk
Country: Ireland
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits