Eilidh Steel & Mark Neal
Album: Imprints
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 3
Website: http://www.fiddleguitar.com

What a wonderful Celtic duo!

Eilidh Steel & Mark Neal (love the rhyming by the way) tick all the key boxes for a good Celtic sound. Mysterious guitar and strong, dominating fiddle with enough tempo to get you swaying and foot tapping but without making you fear for your life from a super aggressive ceilidh (Apart from 'Tiree Girls', that tune is fit for a ceilidh bludgeoning).

You can certainly feel the strong Scottish roots in their music. There are a wide range of varying instrumental tracks to show off their talents with their instruments and also quality vocal songs thrown in for those who love the sound of Celtic songs on their ear drums.

Mark certainly uses his voice to his advantage, whether it is a slow Celtic song like 'Gloomy Winter's Noo Awa' or a faster paced English sung 'So Blue', you certainly get to appreciate what a range his voice can achieve,

In regards to the instrumental tunes there is also a nice mix thrown in. Aforementioned foot tapping tunes , such as (Helen's Reel) ,to slow, gripping songs (Cruachan Bheann) that sooth you and give you goose bumps. I am always a fan of artists who show off different styles in their music and not just giving you twelve tracks of the same thing. Variety is certainly a skill that this pair has down.

My favourite of this album, which everyone on the planet should hear at least once, is 'The King's Shilling', a perfect sum up of vocals and instruments that really displays the harmony of the duo.

Paul Rawcliffe