...Talk about rarities, it doesn't get much rarer than Pererin's 4th album, whose very existence was debated for years, since almost no-one had ever seen it. Only a handful of copies were originally released - copies, but not records, because no record company had shown the slightest interest in it. The band self-funded a cassette release and then began seeking for distributors but no-one would even go near this album, so most of the cassettes were left to rot in some warehouse. Now, if that fate befell a bunch of kids on their first attempt, it'd be understandable. But this band were already veterans, having released 3 albums as Bran (1975-1978) and another 3 as Pererin (1980-1982). Their style was progressive-folk and (here's the rub) they sang in Welsh. Still, for such an established band to be totally snubbed by everyone, it would have to be a very poor album indeed, right? Well...no. As the world (if by "world" you mean a few hundred persons, that is) found out in 2008, when the album got a very limited CD-release, "Yng Ngolau Dydd" is a perfectly charming and well crafted piece of folk music that stands up very well compared to modern-day folkish pop stars like Midlake and Devendra Barnhart. The musicians made minimal use of electric instruments and opted instead for the warm and natural sound of mandolins, violins, flutes, bodhran and hand percussion. None of the synthesizers and loud snare drums that were all the rage in the 80's. Opener "Yng Ngolau Dydd" ("In the Light of Day" according to google translate) sets the blueprint for the whole album, as it brings together medieval, celtic and country influences. "Mab y Saer" and "Cyntaf Dydd O Fai" are familiar traditional tunes, while "Dacw Nghariad i Lawryn y Berllan" offers a change of pace, as it's an almost funky song with driving electric bass and a short whistle solo. "Ar Gyfer Heddiw'r Bore", "Can Job" and "Y Ddraenen Wen" are gentle, introspective ballads and "Jasmin" is as close as the album comes to pop (not very close at all). "Hogia Llandegai" and "Mae gen i farch glas" are a couple of good-natured, upbeat songs. I can imagine them raising hell at an inn in Westeros, maybe as a medley with "The Bear And The Maiden Fair". The pastoral "Bachgen Bach O Lyn" and the melancholic instrumental "Henffych I Ti", on the other hand, would sound more at home at the closing credits of The Hobbit. Well, not only did I really enjoy listening to that album - now I'm also intrigued to learn Welsh: What kind of language sounds as strange as this and how did it survive in the British Isles when English is threatening to sweep away lesser-known languages all over the world?
**** for Mab Y Saer, Cyntaf Dydd O Fai, Dacw Nghariad I Lawryn Y Berllan, Hogia Llandegai, Mae Gen I Farch Glas, Y Ddraenen Wen
*** for Yng Ngolau Dydd, Ar Gyfer Heddiw'r Bore, Can Job, Jasmin, Bachgen Bach O Lyn, Henffych I Ti
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