While there's certainly a whole lot more to the music of Scotland, we all want to hear the bagpipes, so it's a nice touch that Alan Lomax's exploration of the Scottish tradition starts with a brief rant by the Glasgow Police Band. This is followed by a solo song by one of the great voices of the nation, Ewan McColl, who contributes a number of traditional songs to the collection. Other a cappella songs include "Glenlogie" by John Strachan, Blanche Wood's "Portnockie Girl," and some "diddling songs" by Hamish Henderson. More informal are a track by a community band and singing group recorded live in the streets of Selkirk, some remarkable singing from a group of women in Glasgow, and a church choir in Dormach. The album is divided pretty equally between songs from the Lowlands and the Highlands, 43 often-brief pieces that preserve the old music in time. Notes by Lomax have been updated (and toned down from Lomax's usual overly effusive style) by Hamish Henderson and Margaret Bennett, and include Gaelic text and English translations where necessary. --Louis Gibson