Produced by Saffron Summerfield;
Recorded by Nic Kinsey at Livingston Studios, Lundon;
Sleeve photography by Maggie Murray;
Sleeve design by Craig Maclachan

Musicians

Ian Sinclair: vocals [3, 5-6, 8-9], dulcimer [1], violin [2], guitar [3-5, 7-10], bouzouki [6], harmonium drone [10];
Margie Sinclair: vocals [1-9], autoharp [7];
Ray Crompton: vocals [3, 6, 8-9], mandola [1-2, 4, 8-10], mandolin [3, 7], guitar [5-6]

Tracks

Side 1

1. As I Cam Ower the Muir o’ Ord (Roud 135; G/D 4:778) (2.42)
2. The Ploughboy Laddie (3.21)
3. The Keech in the Kreel (Roud 120; Child 281; G/D 2:317; Henry H201) (5.15)
4. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73) (3.40)
5. Bowermadden (4.10)

Side 2

6. Sleepy Town (Roud 3775; G/D 3:356) (4.27)
7. Flower of Northumberland (Roud 25; Child 9; G/D 6:1149) (5.10)
8. Brundenlaws (Roud 9257) (4.50)
9. The King’s Shilling (5.00)
10. The Glasgow/Caithness Centenary Gathering (1.00)

All tracks trad. except
Tracks 5, 9 Ian Sinclair;
Track 10 Pipe Major Taylor

Sleeve Notes

Moddan’s Bower—The village of Bowermadden, in Caithness, where the group is based, takes its name from the Norse word ‘bur’ meaning a storehouse and Moddan, who was an Earl of Caithness. Moddan’s Bower was therefore the storehouse of Moddan. Since one of the tracks on the album is Bowermadden (written by group member Ian Sinclair), it seemed that Moddan’s Bower would be an appropriate name for our record, or storehouse of our favourite songs.

Mirk is an old Scots word meaning the darkness.

Produced by Peter Shepheard;
Recorded by Calum Malcolm at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland, in May 1982;
Mastered by George Peckham;
Photography by Norman Chalmers;
Design by Peter Shepheard

Musicians

Ian Sinclair: fiddle, guitar, 12-string guitar, vocals;
Margie Sinclair: lead vocals, harmonium, autoharp;
Ray Crompton: harmonium, mandola, guitar, mandolin, vocals;
Jim Sutherland: cittern, bass, mandolin, bodhrán

with special guest
Andy Corsie: electronic bagpipes

Tracks

Side 1

1. Why Should I? (RoudBS B250204) (2.10)
2. Dowie Dens o Yarrow (Roud 13; Child 214; G/D 2:215) (4.05)
3. Lady Charlotte Durham (3.00)
4. Bonnie Wee Lassie’s Answer (Roud 3326; G/D 1:98) (5.25)
5. Och Hey, Johnnie Lad (Roud V7525) (1.55)
6. P.M. George Ross’ Farewell to the Black Watch / Capt. Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree (4.02)

Side 2

7. Glenlogie (Roud 101; Child 238; G/D 5:973) (4.57)
8. Cairn-o-Mount (Roud 3794; G/D 5:1042) (6.46)
9. Farewell to Cape Helles (1.47)
10. Glasgow Caithness Centenary Gathering / Eighth Black Watch on Passchendaele Ridge / John Keith Lang / Bill Powrie (4.23)
11. Tak a Dram (Afore Ye Go) (2.53)

All tracks trad. except
Track 3 Nathaniel Gow;
Track 5 Robert Tannahill;
Track 6a Pipe Major William Laurie;
Track 6b Peter Farquhar;
Track 8 Alexander Balfour (1767-1829)/ Tony Cuffe;
Track 10a Pipe Major W.M. Taylor;
Track 10b Alexander ‘Sandy’ Bremner;
Track 10c Addie Harper;
Track 10d Ian Porwie;
Track 11 Ian Sinclair