Album review: EWAN MACINTYRE/HERDING CATS – On These Islands We Sing

August 20th, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 03.09.26]

I do like an uncompromising artist, and Ewan Macintyre is certainly one of those. From Gaelic sung Americana, to Scottish inspired Meters type funk, he pulls no punches in his left field delivery of songs.

So does it make any difference that he sings four songs in in Gaelic? For me not at all, you can get the gist of a good song whatever language it is in. I listen to Jaques Brel in French, Zachary Richard in Cajun French and The Tinariwen in their Saharan African language and it all sounds good to these ears.

The first song uses a first world war poem written by Domhnall MacAoidi in Gaelic as its lyrics. Incredible that a war which happened over a hundred years ago is still relevant today. But war is war and it kills poor people for rich men’s causes whatever the year, and with a title which translates The Soldier Which Won’t Return you can see why it hasn’t dated. It features some tasty banjo playing from Ewan. He also plays guitars, mandolin and harmonica throughout the rest of the album.

The rest of the album, which is his sixth to date, takes it’s title from an anthology of Scottish Islands Poetry, called These Islands, We Sing, is in essence a commentary on the failings of our selfish society which is moving away from people’s needs and making them increasingly isolated, something I imagine is all too real on The Isle Of Skye where he recorded this album with his buddies, Bado Reti on upright bass, Dirk Ronnenburg on fiddle and Tamlin Wiltshire on drums and pandero.

In my opinion it’s not an outstanding piece of work, but it is pleasant enough and well arranged, even with it’s dark undertones. I do like the folky eclecticness of the album and his voice has richness, which is easy to listen to. I would be interested to hear more of his material and see him live. ***

Review by Andy Sharrocks

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