Ian Bruce - Alloway Tales - Hamilton Advertiser

Burns enthusiasts have been well-served by Linn Records' series "The Complete Songs of Robert Burns", which recently reached the halfway point with the release of volume six.

Rutherglen singer Ian Bruce has performed on three volumes and these songs and several others have now been collected on "Alloway Tales" (Linn Records, CKD112).

The disc contains 14 songs, some - like "Such a Parcel of Rogues" and "Ye Jacobites by Name" - well-known and others like - "The Soldirs Return" and "Galloway Tam" - perhaps waiting to be discovered.

Bruce has one of the most distinctive voices in folk music - he brings the glorious words of the Bard to life, backed by many of the luminaries of the folk scene.

Fine singing and playing make this an enjoyable disc, although Burns diehards may be taken aback by an amazingly rhythmic version of "A Mans A Man for a' That".