Scottish fusions fight to be heard

‘Being Scottish, Scotland and the Scottish music industry is about so much more than wee ditties and Monarch of the bloody Glen.’ Paul Brown, spokesperson for EMERGE Glasgow’s Young Talent, a non-profit social enterprise.

Scotland, and in particular Glasgow, is no stranger to massive musical success stories. It is the birthplace of numerous bands: Simple Minds, Wet Wet Wet, Teenage Fanclub, Del Amitri and Primal Scream. Travis and Texas, two of the UK’s most recent big bands, also come from Glasgow – there is a distinct buzz about the place. A fact that has not gone unnoticed, with Time Magazine comparing Glasgow’s music scene to Detroit’s Motown of the 70s. So, with this rich heritage and with Franz Ferdinand’s recent prize-winning and chart topping success, it seems as if Scottish music has never been so hot. Surely then, punters, public and press should be hankering after the next ‘big thing’ out of Scotland, but are we listening carefully enough to the emerging sounds?

For some years now there has been a growing rise in music that does challenge the usual. Music that – to some extent – returns to one’s cultural roots, whilst simultaneously exploring and breaking new ground using different technology, sounds and styles. By combining elements of the old, with modern and foreign influences, a rich ‘fusion’ of music is created. Without question fusion music has started to make itself felt around the globe, from Africa and South America to Europe and Scotland. Maybe this is one of the more pleasant side effects of globalisation? Even a few years ago this development was starting to become apparent. In 2002 Musical Discoveries reported with some excitement, ‘A new breed of young musicians, steeped in the musical roots of their land, are pioneering an innovative fusion of traditional songs and instrumentals with contemporary sounds to create a new form.’ While further talk of this musical development being unique to Scotland is a bit exaggerated, many Scottish musicians have certainly embraced this new form and amongst them is a band called Croft No. Five. A band that could well be poised to ride the crest of a musical revolution many believe was last seen in Manchester at the end of last century.

Described by some as ‘feel good’, Croft No. Five combine drums, bass and guitar with traditional instruments such as the accordion and the whistle. Having formed in 1998, they released their debut album in 2001 to encouraging reviews; the primary criticism being the poor quality of the recording. And that is where it nearly ended. The second album became touch and go when two of the original six band members left during the course of 2003. As Misha Somerville, the oldest member of the band, and the whistle player, explains, ‘It was a big hurdle to get over, and things did feel fairly desperate for a while; at one point we almost split up three times within a single week.’ The split, which they say is amicable, was overcome and the remaining four ‘crofters’ along with two bassists (who share guest slots) completed Talk of the Future which was released on 20 September 2004, and which has already received praise.

Kenny Mathieson in The Scotsman calls it a ‘powerful new album’ and praises their ability to fuse elements of rock and dance grooves under folk melodies. Sue Wilson from the Sunday Herald agrees saying, ‘They’ve produced a follow-up which, in terms of musical development, far outstrips expectations.’ However not everyone is so complimentary. A thread on the Footstompin website comments, ‘most people I have spoken to think it is terrible and a disappointment compared to the promise the first CD had.’ Well you can’t please everyone and Croft No. Five have now played with some success to a fairly broad range of international audiences. New York City, Denmark, Italy and most recently, and very successfully, in the Czech Republic as part of the British Council’s ten month Scottish arts season; a program structured to coincide with the Czech Republic joining the EU. Martin Coull, the band’s manager comments, ‘in mainland Europe, audiences seem much more open to all types of music, as long as it is good music. They seem much less concerned with categories, which is very refreshing.’ This European influence is very tangible in the new album and as Misha says, it ‘reflects a real sense we have now, after all our travelling, that we’re citizens of Europe.’ The band have also taken more control over their work by setting up a studio (in a reputedly haunted old carpet factory) and releasing the new album through their own Planet 5 Records.

However, the fight against the ever-increasing sludge of mass marketed, processed and unsatisfying music is a slow and uphill battle for public awareness, airtime and journalistic interest in the alternatives. One of the great difficulties for fusion bands is that in today’s world you need to be boxed into a category in order to be marketed well, and you need to be marketed well in order to achieve success. Being unique, or difficult to categorise, can prove fatal, or at the very least damaging to your chances of success. For the simple reason that it is harder for reviewers to place you, or for music shops to know where to stock you. It is therefore – however complimentary – a mixed blessing when a reporter sums up your achievement as ‘eight tracks of splendidly unclassifiable, confidently hybridised folk/world/rock/pop/dancefloor fusion.’ Which is what Sue Wilson from the Sunday Herald said about Talk of the Future.

This danger of being ‘uncategoriseable’ is something Martin Coull is more than aware of. He mentions that Croft No. Five’s new album, which doesn’t fit easily into the ‘folk’ category, or, by virtue of being Scottish, into the ‘World’ category, creates problems as ‘we don’t have a category under which an album review can be placed.’ Coull adds, with some frustration, that he would define World Music as ‘being music which contains some element of the musical traditions of the country from which an artist originates. This is also the attitude of WOMEX – the main expo of World Music in Europe, and it is an attitude I would like to see develop in the UK. Perhaps then bands like Croft No Five would receive the media coverage they deserve.’ Getting enough media exposure to launch a band into the public eye is a vital step and in an article published on www.scotlandideasfactory.com, Paul Brown – entrepreneur, music-lover, businessman and spokesperson for EMERGE – challenges the Scottish music industry to really start selling itself. As he says ‘All right, Franz Ferdinand and Belle & Sebastian alongside Mogwai and The Cosmic Roughriders have gone a long way to show the world what we Scots are capable of, but the nation’s media still insists on pouring out Scottish stereotypes. As a result, it is us that are seen as parochial and dim witted, but in my view it is the big, London-based record labels that are parochial. It is them that remain static in their London offices, and insist that anyone wanting to make something must go to them.’

We all know that in order to recognise something new, something good, we need to think outside of the box. Maybe the bottom line is we need to concentrate less on categorising everything into the same size, shape, colour and texture and really celebrate and enjoy the differences of form and sound around us. Trust our instincts about what sounds good, without having to be told by advertising, marketing and spin. Finding and supporting new talent is a two-way responsibility which flows between the audience and artist. Next time you get the opportunity, open your ears to something different, you may just like it.

The Facts, as quoted from www.hi-arts.co.uk are: