Capercaillie's To the Moon happens to be a small package containing many, many treats. The group is Karen Matheson (vocals), Manus Lunny (bouzouki, bodhran, guitars, vocals), Charlie McKerron (fiddle), John Saich (bass, guitar, vocals) and Donald Shaw (accordion, keyboards, vocals); they are joined on this disc by an impressive array of talent.

The collection begins with "To the Moon," a combination of "A Nighean Donn" and "A Ghealaich," both traditional tunes combined and arranged into a song that moves firmly into a contemporary pop mode after a quiet, breathy beginning. Instrumentation on this track is fascinating: the combination of bodhran (Marc Duff), fiddle (McKerron), guitars (Saich) and keyboards and accordion (Shaw), coupled with Matheson's limber, sinuous vocals, is arresting. In fact, musicianship throughout the collection is at a very high level, and the playing comes from a broad range of sources: ballads, reels, "world beat" rhythms and the pop idiom.

"Ní Sí i nGrá" is an excellent example of how all these sources combine to produce subtly complex and compelling music. Capercaillie does things in this song that I don't quite believe: a good portion of Matheson's vocals are throw-aways, very soft under an instrumental line that partakes of jazz, pop and traditional Celtic music, while back-up vocals somehow seamlessly bridge the gap. The group then moves directly into the up-rhythm pop lament "Why Won't You Touch Me," in which Matheson takes a more normal role over an exciting instrumental line that is almost too complex and too well-coordinated to analyze.

"You," one of my favorite tracks, is an unabashed love song that draws fully on Capercaillie's ability to blend sources into something unique: Matheson is stellar on this song, trading places with the backup vocals in a way that gives it a distinct toward-and-away motion, while there are flashes of fiddle and piano that shine briefly through: the song sparkles. "The Rob Roy Reels," close to the end of the disc, is an amazing feat, Highland small pipes (Fred Morrison), fiddle, accordion all blending into an engaging, lively and immensely enjoyable five-plus minutes. Additional support throughout the disc comes from Ray Fean (drums), Wilf Taylor (percussion) and Davy Spillane (uillean pipes).

Enough -- there are perhaps two songs on this album that I'm not absolutely crazy about, and those are still pretty good. To the Moon is really a tour-de-force for Capercaillie: many moods, many modes, rich and complex and somehow straightforward and solidly grounded at the same time. This is not "pure" music, by any means, but so what? Call it "Scottish pop" and be happy that it exists.

- Rambles
written by Robert M. Tilendis
published 1 January 2005