Don't be deceived by this album's stereotypical title or the sun-drenched, thistle-lined loch photograph adorning its cover! The briefest of glimpses at the album's fabulous musical content and the reassurance of the Footstompin' label immediately put your mind to rest. This is a cool, exciting album featuring many of the Scottish Celtic world's youngest, most "happening," most innovative musicians -- and, as it's a sampler, it's available at an unbelievably low price!

The CD contains superb examples of the music of a whole raft of the label's artists. I already seem to own most of the albums the songs come from, but I've now added a couple to my "must-buy" list, top of which has to be Shetland band Filska's album -- the seductive, lilting beauty of their fiddles on "Lay Dee at Dee" won me over in seconds!

The album's instrumentals are top-notch. Anna Massie's masterly guitar playing is beautifully represented by the excellent "Trip to Windsor," and Corrina Hewat's fabulous "Hogties Jig" reveals her jazz-nuanced harp playing perfectly -- aided and abetted by David Milligan/Donald Hay, this music is absolutely luscious. "The Big Day In" lets Milligan's angular, rhythmic, jaunty piano underpin Simon Thoumire's astonishingly nimble-fingered concertina playing. The list goes on -- Claire Mann's "Obsessive Island" and Finlay MacDonald's "Happy Jigs" weigh in alongside other fabulous tunes by Birlin' Fiddles, Cantrip, Keep It Up and a groove-packed tune by Croft No. Five.

Scotland's vocalists are well represented here too -- Gillian Frame astounds on Back of the Moon's "Laddie's Bedside," a song where Hamish Napier's whistle playing excels. Emily Smith's expressive vocal beauty dazzles on the beautiful "Green Grass Grows Bonny." Margaret Bennett lends her lovely voice to son Martyn's ultra-contemporary take on reaping song "Buain a' Choice." Orcadian Kris Drever sings a fabulous Fine Friday song "Cold Blow" in his inimitable, richly resonant voice.

This is a fine sampler indeed.

- Rambles
written by Debbie Koritsas
published 4 December 2004