Review – Blue Rose Code – Bright Circumstance

“Lord, you have called my brother home, will you guide him gently, Lord, you have called my brother home to that sacred rest. Jesus, you’ve called my brother home would you give him shelter, now the big man has gone on…”

Ross Wilson (Blue Rose Code) is, at once, one of Edinburgh’s favourite sons and still one of Scotland’s best kept secrets. A decade-long career has seen Wilson work with the great Danny Thompson, Eddi Reader, and most recently, co-write with English folk royalty – Steve Knightley.

Unusually, four years since Blue Rose Code’s last record, the songs on ‘Bright Circumstance’ were written between Galson in the North of Lewis and the Whitstable sea-front in Kent. Four years has seen new fatherhood, a dropping anchor in Liverpool, and (once the pandemic allowed) extensive national and international touring with Wilson’s seven-piece band.

Last Summer saw BRC play mainstages at Cambridge Folk Festival, Shrewsbury festival, Tonder in Denmark, and Black Deer. The experience of playing to the big crowds with the big band has developed the Blue Rose Code sound into an unmissable live show and that energy has been taken into the studio for the new record ‘Bright Circumstance’.

I feel that Ross has reached a creative nirvana with this new album. A completely wonderful melding of folk, roots, soul, country and Americana that touches your very soul and is reflective, uplifting and just a musical breath of fresh air but, before we delve into the review, Ross explains more about the new album:

How do you go about creating/writing the songs for a new album? Do you have a bank of songs or are they new experiences that you use to help with the idea behind the songs?

For me I always give time, that’s where the songs begin. In a space where there is no pressure, no expectations. Deadlines are great for work or otherwise but I think music ought not to be held to an artificial timeline. It walks its own path. Often songs will come in twos or threes for me, when I feel creative I’ll pick up the guitar or sit at the piano and they fall out in their own good time but mostly as a team. It’s always happened that, over the course of writing an album, at least one song will be written that is a last minute edition. This time it was ‘Now The Big Man Has Gone On’. Written for my dear pal Gordon’s funeral. 

I spend most of my life away from ‘being an artist’, it’s the only way that I’ve found to garner experiences honest and authentic enough to write about. I forget that I’m a musician and, when we’re out on a sustained run of shows I’m all of a sudden like, ‘oh, yeah, *this* is what it’s all about’, because that connection when I’m performing, between myself and the band and the audience, that flow is the greatest sensation I’ve ever experienced.

Do you have a cohesive idea/concept behind the album or is it a collection of random tracks?

Any concept would be post-rationalisation and, while some people may like to be seduced by their musicians talking shite about what they’ve done, that’s not really my gig. Having written and recorded this record, and now with a bit of distance from it, the biggest theme that’s emerged (by accident) is one of Faith with a capital F. 

Faith is very unsexy nowadays, you’re either naive, stupid and/or very likely bigoted. Since becoming a father again and coming out of the dread and desolation of the Pandemic, I’ve realised the need for communion and connection in my life, nay, all of us are inherently interdependent, the Lockdowns convinced me of that utterly. God, gods, Yahweh, Allah, Yoda, Mother Nature, whatever you want to call (insert pronoun here), I’m pretty relaxed about the notion that there is a power greater than me that binds us. 

I think this is your best album to date and, while it is most definitively a BRC album, it feels slightly different than the ones that have preceded it, is that intentional?

Thank you! I made a conscious effort to take the band out to festivals and grow a bigger, more muscular, soulful sound. We’ve had a riot around the country, a lot of fun, lots of dancing and smiling and I was so determined to bring some of that raucousness into the studio. I wanted to grab, on record, what we sound like out there, with the counterpoint of some of what you’d expect from a BRC record. 

Now, let’s see just exactly what ‘Bright Circumstance’ is all about…

Jericho opens the album with a high octane injection of soul, a fast paced thrill ride where Paul Harrison’s piano and Paul Towndrow’s horn section drive the track along with a grin inducing energy, the kind of live energy that has wowed festivals and theatres throughout 2023. Ross’ vocals are dynamic and uplifting and give the record a rather enticing opening and a blistering statement of intent. The mood is turned completely on its head with Sadie, a heartfelt lament written from a very personal perspective, a song about generational trauma and addiction. A melancholic strummed guitar is matched my Ross’ sombre and wistful vocals but the star of the show here is Conor Smith and his elegantly played, respectful pedal steel guitar which just bleeds emotion, it is simply heartbreaking and plaintive, every note touching and beautifully delivered. The mood turns again with the wonderfully triumphant horn arrangement by Paul Harrison that opens Never Know Why, a song about Grace, about experience over knowledge. Soulful with an almost reggae feel to it, the funky trombone from Liam Shortall and Harrison’s dancing piano just add to the inspirational vibe and general feeling of good will, a song that just makes you smile!

The subdued atmosphere returns with the elegant and stately Thirteen Years, this song is about Tory Britain, about kids going to sleep hungry and waking up hungry, going to school hungry. It’s a powerful message delivered with passion and pride but in a most dignified manner which is only enhanced by the gorgeous, haunting violin of Greg Lawson. A powerful piece of music that makes you stop and think. Next comes a full-on Gospel version of Amazing Grace where Ross makes the song his own, a personal and jubilant reworking of the classic hymn, featuring a chorus of Eddi Readers in the background. The music is almost bluesy with a brilliant Hammond organ leading the refrain and Paul Towndrow’s soulful sax adding some real verve, it’s simply irresistible. My favourite song of the year so far from any artist, Peace In Your Heart was written coming out of the pandemic and in light of the mental health crisis that came about through lack of connection. A gentle, wistful piece of music that just gets under your skin and seeps into your soul with its love and compassion, bringing tears of joy and a feeling of hope welling up,“May this next year go easier on your soul, I love you and I wish you peace in your heart.”

“Take my hand my love, hold me in your arms. Love me like you do, easy as we go…”. A song of hope, of renewal, about the coming spring, Easy As We Go blends Scottish country and Americana perfectly, the yearning and longing for something new, something better is uplifting and optimistic, imbuing an aura of faith and brotherhood into the music and Ross’ words. A comforting song that speaks of a brighter future, Donald Shaw’s accordion and Lyle Watt’s mandolin adding a real authenticity to proceedings. Sultry and brooding with haunting vocals to match, Don’t Be Afraid speaks of faith and devotion. The bible features the phrase ‘don’t be afraid’ 365 times. One day at a time. The dark and light of Jungian thought, ‘the devil is fear by another name’, a song with a questioning nature at its heart, pure creativity and originality and a showcase for the songwriting brilliance of Ross Wilson. The song segues brilliantly into the stark McDonald’s Lament, a Gaelic preamble to Now The Big Man Has Gone, written for a close friend of Ross’ who died suddenly while the record was being finished in Glasgow. Written for the Big man’s funeral, it is Ross with his heart laid bare, inviting us in to his own personal mourning. Pared back, it is just Ross’ perfectly judged vocal with a gentle mandolin and his faith holding strong as he bids farewell to a loved one and asks that he be welcomed into heaven with open arms. A tender and beautiful piece of music that has all of this spiritual musicians heart and soul at its very core, the recording of the Big man’s voice a very poignant way to close the album.

Music can reflect life and accompany us on our very personal journeys and we should be honoured that Ross Wilson has invited us to join him on his own poignant and introspective pilgrimage through his faith. What he has given us is one of the most intense and intimate records released this year, with faith and devotion as its central themes. ‘Bright Circumstance’ is an utterly captivating triumph and should propel Blue Rose Code onto further and better things, it really doesn’t get any better than this.

Released 10th May, 2024.

Order the album here:

Bright Circumstance (lnk.to)

Blue Rose Code is Ross Wilson

Drums – Stuart Brown, Trumpet & Flugel – Matt Gough, Keys – Paul Harrison, Violin – Greg Lawson, Vocals – Eddi Reader, Accordion – Donald Shaw, Trombone – Liam Shortall, Pedal Steel – Conor Smith, Bass – Gus Stirrat, Vocals – Naomi Stirrat, Saxophone – Paul Towndrow, Guitars & Mandolin – Lyle Watt.