Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Sunshine on Leith by The Proclaimers
Released in 1988, "Sunshine on Leith" was the second album released by brothers Charlie and Craig Reid, otherwise known as the Proclaimers, a family singing/songwriting duo from Scotland. These two brothers combine pop with a folkish musical sound to produce an album that is entertaining, sometimes funny, sometimes political, and a pleasant experience throughout.
Band Members/Personnel:
Criag Reid- Vocals
Charlie Reid- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Jerry Donahue- Guitars
Phil Cranham- Bass
Pete Wingfield- Keyboards
Paul Robinson- Drums
Dave Mattacks- Drums
Stuart Nisbet- Mandolin, Penny Whistle
Gerry Hogan- Steel Guitar
Dave Whetstone- Melodeon
Steve Shaw- Fiddle
Track Listing:
1. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
2. Cap in Hand
3. Then I Met You
4. My Old Friend the Blues
5. Sean
6. Sunshine on Leith
7. Come on Nature
8. I'm on my Way
9. What do you do?
10. It's Saturday Night
11. Teardrops
12. Oh Jean
"Sunshine on Leith" begins with "I'm Gonna Be", the song that first helped bring attention to the Proclaimers and made them recognizable on a larger, international scale. This song is best known for it's subtitle "500 miles" and for its catchy little tune that sounds like marching. The song is meant to be a ballad (and it is a little romantic, based on the words), but most listeners will remember the music, not the lyrics.
Second on the disk is "Cap in Hand" a pop/folk tune about Scottish independence. The next song, "Then I met you" keeps the tempo moving, with a little more guitar and more musical effort than the other songs.
The fourth song, "My Old Friend the Blues" is a slower song with a blues/country feel. It's also the only song on the album that wasn't written by the Reid brothers (it was composed by S. Earle). "Sean" is the next song, and it brings back the catchiness of the first song "I'm Gonna Be". It starts out with the sound of a harpsichord and it features the guys making sounds (hi- yah, hi- yah, hi- yah) along with singing actual words, the same formula used on the opening song, "I'm Gonna Be".
"Sunshine on Leith" is next on the album. This title song is country- like, with steel guitar. "I'm on my Way" is a more upbeat tune about optimism that emphasizes a little more keyboard and other instruments when compared to the other, more mellow tunes.
"What do you Do" is a political song that slows down the mood a little with a country sound that includes steel guitar, much like the title song. "It's Saturday Night" is mellow, with whistling and light keyboard and percussion. "Teardrops" is unusual in that it's a fully acoustic song with nothing but a guitar and the singing of the two brothers. "Oh Jean" then closes out the album in style, with the brothers singing about a man who has many misfortunes with women and how Jean finally gave in and slept with him. It's mostly a song about gratitude, with the Reids singing about how thankful they are to Jean for making love when no other woman would. This song would make a good one for men to join together and sing around a keg. It has the repetitiveness and sluggishness that go with a drinking song along with the sexual element that makes it a fun tune for a late- night party.
Final Thoughts:
I first heard about the Proclaimers while listening to an alternative music station, where I heard the single "I'm Gonna Be" for the first time. This irresistable tune, with its catchy, cadence- like beat, sparked my interest and got me to purchase this CD. Normally, I wouldn't buy a CD after hearing only one song, but I decided to take a chance this time.
Fortunately, my money was not wasted for I quickly learned just how enjoyable the Reid brothers could be singing an entire, 12- track CD in their own, inimitatable way. "I'm Gonna Be", is still my favorite song and the most catchy, but every other song has something to offer, with songs that range from the medium to fast paced tempo of "Then I met you", to the somber pace of "My Old Friend the Blues".
The heavy Scottish accents are fun to listen to, and they can sometimes be difficult to understand. Take for example the song "Come on Nature". Before I read the actual title on the CD sleeve, I thought the guys wre singing "Come on Michelle". With the refrain of the song "Cap in Hand", you can't really hear the letter "h" in the title and the "a" in the words are pronounced like the word "ah", so it comes out sounding something like "caahp en aaahnd". This would be annoying with some music, but not with "Sunshine on Leith". Part of the fun is trying to decipher what the Reid's thick Scottish accents are really trying to say.
Most every song on this collection features acoustic guitar. The sound of electric guitar only comes up a couple of times. This gives the music more of a folk- rock feel to it and it places the emphasis more on the words than on the actual music itself. This is especially the case on the more political tunes, like "What do you Do". The brothers sing "what do you do when democracy is through...what do you do when minority means you". With more intense music, it would have changed the meaning of the song. The mellow music is meant to get the listener to pay attention to the words.
"Sunshine on Leith" is a fun album that will appeal mostly to those who like acoustic guitar and to those who like to be able to hear the singing and not just an overload of music. Charlie and Craig Reid might look like a couple of hopeless nerds, but they know how to make some fun, catchy, and thoughtful music with simple instrumentation and their heavy Scottish accents. Ok, I wouldn't walk 500 miles to hear them perform. But I would drive a few miles to the nearest music store to purchase this CD. It's entertaining and the catchy songs stick with you long after you listen.
Standout Tracks: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles); Sean; and Oh Jean.
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