Well, that’s interesting. Who would have thought that anyone would have released an album of songs inspired by the town of Paisley. Yet here is in the form of “Songs of Paisley” by Silver Threads.
A quick perusal of the rear of the sleeve indicates financial support from the worthy people who support good causes so it was reasonable to assume that Silver Threads – Evelyn Laurie and Neil Thomson - would be distinctly sentimental in both style and substance. And so it was. The songs are very much in the populist folk style so beloved of festivals up and down the country and, filled with blue collar tales of working class aspiration, the end result will prove endearing to the ears of those who wear rose tinted glasses when reflecting on the decline of yet another Scottish town.
Evelyn Laurie has, of course, the voice to deliver these wistful observations on times past with conviction and the musical accompaniment – and yes, there are fiddles aplenty – also passes the time in a most amiable manner but, at the end of the day, it’s the past sanitised and made so very palatable to those whose ears remain permanently attuned to the traditional.