“Someone described Tempus as our pandemic album, although it wasn’t intended to be,” says Alec Dalglish, singer with Scottish folk-rock group Skerryvore.
The band’s roots trace back to the Hebridean island of Tiree and to Livingston in West Lothian.
“During lockdown we wrote a couple of singles, just to keep our creative juices going and keep our name out there,” continues Dalglish, who’s one of the band’s mainland contingent.
Biggest successes
“One was You and I and the other was Together Again, and we had some of the biggest success we’ve ever had with those songs.”
Skerryvore – named after the lighthouse off the coast of Tiree – have been together since 2004, and have self-released seven albums since 2005’s West Coast Life.
Yet their success until now has been firmly within the traditional Scottish folk scene.
Yet these songs were a big departure, inspired by the fact the group – who are now all based in or around Glasgow – had time to think about their composition, even while working remotely.
Exploring a commercial pop-rock sound built on big melodies, they found their new music playlisted and supported by BBC Radio 2.
“That was a big deal for us, and a level of exposure we’ve never had before,” says Dalglish.
“Off the back of that we decided to keep developing these songs and see if we could get an album together.
About time
“It had been so long since we’d been afforded the time to do that, because we’re generally so busy touring that we have to squeeze albums in when we can. It’s not the ideal way to do it.”
Recorded in their piper Scott Wood’s professional home studio Oak Ridge, there’s a reason the album is called Tempus, meaning ‘time’.
Its songs think about the past and look to the future, but they literally only exist because the band finally had time to devote to them.
With the new sonic direction came their first ever record deal, with the London-based Cooking Vinyl, home to artists as diverse as the Jesus and Mary Chain and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
The right fit
“Once we started talking, we realised they were going to be a much better fit than anything we’d been offered before,” says Dalglish.
“They had the right outlook on music and how to release it, and believed in us. We always thought the support of a record label would be good, but it’s never been right until we met Cooking Vinyl.”
Not that we want to prejudge their further success, but there’s definitely an appetite for Celtic roots groups making a crossover right now, as demonstrated by Tide Lines’ success.
“We’re obviously delighted about that, but there’s no guarantee,” says Dalglish.
“Fingers crossed it’s getting to the point where it’s our time for that extra push, but you’ve got to work hard to get your name out there.
“It’s nice to see Scottish bands within our genre pushing through the barrier and getting more of a platform on the world stage, though.”
Excited or nervous?
How does he feel ahead of the album and tour? Excited or nervous?
“Probably a bit of both. You’re putting yourself out there and dying for people to like it, but if not enough people hear it, it might not be successful.
“You’ve got to give yourself a break, though. You can only do what you think is your best music, put it out there and hope it all works.”
Skerryvore play Perth Concert Hall on Saturday March 25. Their new album Tempus will be released on Friday April 28. www.skerryvore.com
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