Taran

TARAN NE POUR LE FIL TARAN ? INUTILE DE DEMANDER UN CD DE CE GROUPE EBOURIFFANT QUI FAIT, CHAQUE SOIR, LA CLOTURE DU PAVILLION DU PAYS DE GALLES. VRAIMENT UNE REVELATION SUR CE FESTIVAL ! DU TRAD-ROCK QUI BOUGE ET QUI DECOIFFE, AVEC BOMBARDE (OU L'EQUIVALENT GALLOIS), VIOLON, FLUTE, BINIOU (OU L'EQUIVALENT GALLOIS) ET MEME VIELLE! CES JEUNES GENS N'ONT MEME PAS PRIS LE TEMPS D'ENREGISTER AVANT DE VENIR A LORIENT. MAIS IL PARAIT QUE TARAN EST UN GROUPE QUI SE SERAIT FORME JUSTE POUR LE FIL. EN TOUT CAS, VU LE SUCCES ET LA DEMANDE, IL POURRAIT BIEN (EN TOUT CAS, ILS FERAIENT BIEN) PENSER A UN ENREGISTREMENT. ET POURQUOI PAS PLUS, SI AFFINITES ? - Telegramme Ouest

When brothers Gerard and Danny Kilbride were approached to put together a band to represent the Wales Assembly Government presence at the 2008 Festival Interceltique in France they probably didn’t envisage that the project would assume a life of its own, or that the eventual end result would be a boundary breaking album of dance music that simultaneously celebrates and challenges the perception of the Welsh tradition. It’s no mean feat but it’s one that the eleven musicians involved have pulled off with considerable style. Mixing ancient and modern instruments; traditional themes, judicious samples, contemporary dance sensibilities and a tangible joie de vivre, Taran have, from the intro to opening track ‘Aber’ through to the dying moments of ‘Tri Gofal’ which closes it, produced an album that should seriously raise the profile of Welsh traditional music. Largely instrumental, Catraeth gloriously throws caution to the wind as pibgorns, fiddles, hurdy-gurdy, electric guitars, pipes, keyboards, bombardes, fifteenth century galliards, readings from Under Milk Wood, loops and programmed grooves combine to create an irresistible force that, while it’s unashamedly true to its roots, simultaneously mirrors the growing maturity, confidence and pride of an evolving nation rediscovering the strengths of a rich cultural heritage.

Dave Haslam

- Rock and Reel May 2009

fROOTS – August 2009

“TARAN CATRAETH Ynys Records ynys001

In the midst of accusations flying around the media of government misspending shed loads of cash, it’s cathartic to hear of at least one decent action that’s come from politicians, even if ti was last year. Invited by the Welsh Assembly to form a band for Lorient’s Festival Interceltique 2008, the Kilbride brothers- Dan and Gerard – formed a collective from roots, rock and folk musicians and dance Mcs that by all accounts caused earthquakes, shook buildings and generally turned Brittany upside down/inside out. For the evidence I humbly suggest you visit Taran’s MySpace, there is all you need to know both visual and aural.

Now after much anticipation and muttering comes the CD and friends it’s nothing short of splendid. No exaggeration to say this is the most important recording for electric Welsh roots since Land of my Mothers melded heavy grooves, grungey guitars and Welsh history into one wonderful, heaving whole. Of course that classic was from the rock side of the divide and it’s taken too long, but here is the answer from the roots side. And what an answer it is!

Twelve individuals contribute: the KilBrides representing both wings, Gerard on fiddle and Dan on electric guitar, other familiar names such as old lag Jonathan Shorland an bombarde, piper Gafin Morgan and the sole Estonian-cum-Welsh vocalist/hurdy gurdy player Sille Ilives, as well as two remixers and seemingly everyone on programming. Planned and executed meticulously, the beginnings of the project spring from an ancient poem Gododdin and are furthered through the album with each track tipping the metaphorical hat to various aspects of Welsh culture and lore.

Most of the material is trad. Arr. But it isn’t trad. Arr. As we know it Jim; rather, whilst the fiddles, pipes and other ethnic instruments form the attack, the back line throbs and pulses with beats and electronics. Layer after layer of groove and reel build on one another through 11 distinct creations that if let loose on a regular club noght would knacker your average party head. The result is a CD with its feet in what it knows ansd its head way up and out there, pushing forwards, actively searching for something else. And dear reader, recordings which do that don’t exactly come along with regularity.

This is one of thse albums that you just have to take without preconceptions and just let it flood into your brain, where it’ll take up residence forthwith. The Welsh Sound System has arrived. Better news is the fact that Taran are gigging this summer and fully intend to cut another disc of their own creations. Wish I had room to say more, but I don’t. Just accept it’s a bit of a monster; I love it to bits.

www.myspace.com/ourspacetaran

Simon Jones”
- Folk Roots

Taplas August 2009

“TARAN
Catraeth
Ynys 001 (51m)
WHAT an inspiration! Catraeth, or Catterick in north Yorkshire, was the scene of a massive bloody battle between the Britons and the Angles. The 6th century book Y Gododdin translates: “We drank clear mead by candlelight; though its taste was good, its bitterness lasted long”.

Brittany’s Lorient festival features Wales last year, and brothers Gerard and Danny KilBride put this band together with financial backing from Welsh Assembly Government. Catraeth is an 11-musician, ingenious concept of rock-solid, proud Welsh and Breton music, spiced with programming and samples and awash with bass, drums, pipes and fiddles, pibgyrn, Breton bombardes with hurdy-gurdy and vocals (in Welsh) from Gower-based Estonian Sille Ilves. Moreover it’s a mouthwatering chance to madly, flailingly, bouncingly dance.

This debut CD brims over with a Jonathan Shorland composed heady Breton an dro, a brace of cool compositions from Danny and Gerard, a Dylan Thomas Under Milk Wood reading and familiar Welsh chestnuts that become electrifyingly alive when Taran light the blue touchpaper. It’s one hell of an album

Mick Tems”
- Taplas