Grit (Martyn Bennett album)
Grit is the last studio album by the Scottish Celtic fusion artist Martyn Bennett. It was released on 13 October 2003 on the Real World label.[2]
Grit | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 13 October 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2003 | |||
Studio | Real World Studios | |||
Genre | Celtic fusion | |||
Length | 51:29 | |||
Label | Real World Records | |||
Producer | Martyn Bennett | |||
Martyn Bennett chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic |
The album had been recorded while he was ill, and he was unable to play his instruments.[3] Bennett brought together samples of unaccompanied traditional Scottish folk singers, his own bagpipe and fiddle playing, with and electronic drum beats.[2][4]
For the opening track, Move he sampled a recording of traditional singer Sheila Stewart performing the Moving On Song, Ewan MacColl’s song about travellers; she was delighted that he was taking it to a new audience.[5] His song Liberation featured Michael Marra narrating an English translation of psalm 118. The album has been "credited with starting the musical evolution of Celtic fusion".[3]
The song "Blackbird" was used in the soundtrack for Danny MacAskill's 2014 film, The Ridge.[6]
The album cover shows a photo of the artist standing on top of a hill, right behind a Trig - an Anagram of the album title.
Release
Grit was re-released in May 2014 as part of the Real World Gold Series.[7] In July 2017 Real World released the album on vinyl.[8]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Martyn Bennett, except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Move" (Ewan MacColl, Yisrael Borochov, Bennett) | 4:10 |
2. | "Blackbird" | 6:10 |
3. | "Chanter" | 4:10 |
4. | "Nae Regrets" (Charles Dumont, Michel Vaucaire, Norman Newell, Bennett) | 3:50 |
5. | "Liberation" | 4:20 |
6. | "Why" | 4:30 |
7. | "Ale House" | 3:50 |
8. | "Wedding" | 5:45 |
9. | "Rant" | 4:31 |
10. | "Storyteller" (Bennett, Yussef 'ali Bakâsh) | 9:39 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Sky Blue (Martyn Bennett Remix)" (Peter Gabriel) | 5:19 |
12. | "Mackay's Memoirs" | 14:19 |
Personnel
- Martyn Bennett – production, programming, sampling, string arrangements, viola (8), guitar, strings, harmonium, smallpipes, recording, mixing
Additional musicians
- Sheila Stewart – vocals (1)
- Lizzie Higgins – traditional arrangement (2), vocals (2)
- Millennia Strings – strings (2, 5)
- Andrew Skeet – conducting (2, 5)
- Mairi Morrison – traditional arrangement (3), vocals (3)
- Anni Watkins – traditional arrangement (4), vocals (4)
- Petrea Cooney – chorus vocals (4)
- Murdina MacDonald – vocals (5)
- Effie MacDonald – vocals (5)
- Michael Marra – recitation (5)
- Sorren Maclean – drums (5), guitar loop (5)
- John Barlow – drums (5), guitar loop (5)
- Gordon Maclean – double bass (5)
- Flora MacNeil – traditional arrangement (6), vocals (6)
- Jeannie Robertson – vocals (7)
- Kirsten Bennett – piano (5, 8, 10), cello (5, 8, 10)
- Jimmie McBeath – vocals (9)
- John Purser – overtone singing (10)
Technical personnel
- Marco Migliari – additional recording
- BJ Stewart – photography
References
- Anderson, Rick. Grit at AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- Gill, Andy (9 October 2003). "Album: Martyn Bennett. Grit. Real world". The Independent. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- "Remembering Martyn Bennett: The rebirth of Grit". BBC. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- Brocklehurst, Steven (15 January 2015). "Martyn Bennett: 'Fearless' music legacy lives on". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- Gilchrist, Jim (11 December 2014). "Obituary: Sheila Stewart MBE". The Scotsman. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- Swarbrick, Susan (4 October 2014). "TV: Virtuoso cyclist Danny MacAskill's Riding the Ridge". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- Romero, Angel (8 April 2014). "Real World Records to reissue Martyn Bennett's 'Grit' album in May 2014". World Music Central. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- "Grit. Martyn Bennett, 2014". Real World Records. Retrieved 4 February 2018.