Roberts’ six solo albums seamlessly incorporated traditional elements into timeless songs. But today he’s a full-blown folklorist, compiling the rare Scottish field recordings collection Whaur The Pig Gaed On The Spree, and issuing these Gaelic tunes with the Hebridean singer Mairir Morrison.
An initially serious tone suggests diaphanously gowned highland visionaries in dimly lit Seventies regional television studios, late at night, when viewers had ‘their own programs’, but virtuoso guests lighten the anthropological air.
Opening up the spectral lament Ailein Duinn to the rumbling drums of Trembling Bells’ Alex Neilson and surges of ensemble playing suggests the project’s path forward.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube