Live Reviews


  Jamie Flett, The Ballachulish Hellhounds live at The Liquid Ship in Glasgow



It had been one of those weeks but I’d finally worked up some enthusiasm for life. Not a huge amount of enthusiasm but at least it was enough to divert me from taking up shoplifting in order to get this old heart of mine going. So, with a spring in my step, it was onwards and downwards into the Free Candy land to be found in the basement of the Liquid Ship.

Rumours had reached my ears that the gruff voiced and deep thinking Jamie Flett had finally written a happy song. Well, there’s normal happy and there’s Flett happy which turned out to be only slightly upbeat of bleak. No matter as this one man and a guitar (and a brother later on) twisted folk and Americana into a musical rain cloud that was less a source of misery than a portent of better things to come. There is sunshine behind his words even if the self deprecating Mr Flett would appear to be loath to admit it.

Time for a today’s big word and that word is rambunctious and there is surely no band better described as rambunctious than the Ballachulish Hellhounds. Possessed of an ability to pick furiously whilst consuming civilised quantities of (soft) drinks, these three good gentlemen drew more from barn dances in Virginia than the hills and valleys of Scotland in their good natured set. All that was really missing was a cover of the theme from Rawhide.

Time passes quickly in such company and the call of the kebab shop was soon louder than the Laura Healy Band so, with their radio friendly sounds echoing in my ears, it was time once more for chicken pakora. Old habits die hard.
 



Reviewer:
Review Date: April 15 2011


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