Album Notes

Prydein's hardest hitting album to date. This one is no holds barred and will leave you wanting more.

From Christopher Toler, THE Blathering Gommel on ShitenOnions:

"After reading through the Shite ‘n’ Onions review of Prydein’s Loud Pipes I was mighty intrigued. This sounded like a combination of two of my favorites styles of music; Celtic folk-punk and Classic Rock. And although the band does dip a toe into the pools of funk, ska, rockabilly, metal, and of course, Celtic music, they are at their heart a rock band.
The band, Prydein, is comprised of the bass, drums, and guitar line-up with the addition of not one, but two Great Highland Bagpipes players, and, as the disc title may suggest, the pipes are very predominantly featured throughout this release, taking a break on only two of the tracks, both uniquely arranged traditionals; the swinging rockabilly of ‘The Wild Rover’, and a laid-back, strolling ‘Nancy Whiskey’, with the latter tagging-in the tin whistle for ornamentation.
The CD runs the gamut from these traditional songs to a cover of Slade’s ‘Run Runaway’ (that almost smiles in pride of itself, and at what it has become,) to the delicate weaving of ‘Aria’s Waltz’, and wrapping the whole package up with a medley called ‘Stairway to Scotland’ that takes ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Scotland the Brave’ to a place more suited to crowd-surfing than funereal melancholy.
With seven of the eleven tracks being instrumentals, it is clear that the pipes do the talking for the lion’s share of the CD. But they a do have a lot to say, occasionally trading off licks with a lead guitar, with the band’s rhythm section provides a rock-steady forum for them to say it.
Most impressively, for me, anyways, is just how everything seems to fit together. Each tune/song gets a unique treatment from the band, but nothing seems unnatural or forced. All elements come together in a very organic mixture that covers a lot of ground but still remains securely in rock’s embrace.
My personal fave: Probably “The $17.00 Red Head.” It’s snaking shuffle-beat, a lazy, urban-groovin’ bass line and some sweet wah-wah guitar set an unlikely stage for a dueling-bagpipe melody that just keeps on building.
But, since this disc in currently out on iTunes, don’t take my word for it, grab a free, 30-second sample and see if you can sit perfectly still for it. I couldn’t."

From Catherine Tully at Celtic MP3s Music Magazine:

"Rock meets Great Highland Bagpipes. You'll find fun tunes here like "The $17 Red Head," and "NancyWhisky" -- all with a groove that is somewhere between both styles of music; Celtic and rock. The elements that define each style are present in varying amounts, but unmistakable from track to track.
The band has both reverence for each genre and a sense of humor--both great qualities to have as people and as musicians. The last track, "Stairway to Scotland" has a tremendous sound and combines Amazing Grace with Scotland the Brave for a smashing tune--perhaps the best on the CD. Track 3, "Run Run Away" will bring a knowing smile for those who recognize the tune (and an even wider grin for those who recall the video!).
The fun had on this album is apparent in the energy the musicians call forth as they play and the choices they made in selecting what to mix. You don't have to have seen them play to know that these guys have a really good time blending their sound together and learning from each other while they do it. Good stuff!"