Citizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald & Friends

Citizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald & Friends

Citizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald and a host of friends from the crème de la crème of Scotland’s music scene present Return To Y’Hup: The World of Ivor Cutler, a celebration of the life and work of an artist of unrivalled musical and poetic vision. This ambitious project is a pioneering experiment in the field of imaginary archaeology: a sonic conjuring of a decades-old fictional island.

The underlying concept of the album was to resurrect the mythical island of Y’Hup – a territory which Ivor Cutler dreamt up and described throughout his early recordings. Here, the island has been populated with distinct Scottish voices alongside new arrangements of Cutler’s music, featuring a large number of high profile guest artists, including: Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Tracyanne Campbell (Camera Obscura), Kris Drever (Lau), Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Stuart Murdoch (Belle & Sebastian), Pictish Trail, Emma Pollock (Delgados), Karine Polwart, Rick Redbeard (Phantom Band) and James Yorkston. Visiting the island as distinguished guests are two English vocalists, Phyllis King (Ivor Cutler’s longtime companion and collaborator) and living legend, Robert Wyatt.

Noting Cutler’s absence from an exhibit about the history of Scottish pop music at the National Museum of Scotland, Matt Brennan (Citizen Bravo) and saxophonist/composer Raymond McDonald (Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra) decided to set the record straight. They wanted to pay homage and re-affirm Cutler’s status as a national treasure, uniting their two very different two musical backgrounds in a freaky and fruitful collaboration. The core team was completed by producers Malcolm Benzie (eagleowl and Withered Hand) and Andy Monaghan (member of much missed Frightened Rabbit).

Discography

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