Would the Minister Not Dance? is the new high-energy trad single from Lewis-based Face the West, released today.
The Celtic rock band fell in love with the old tune, originally written in the mid-1800s, and were keen to breathe new life into it.
With its interesting slip jig timing and a powerful, upbeat melody Would the Minister Not Dance? sounded instantly timeless to the five-piece and Keith Morrison set about arranging and producing an updated version, which has all the hallmarks of a festival banger.
With three albums under their belt and a fourth on the way, Face the West are stalwarts of the Scottish traditional music scene and have established themselves as festival favourites over the years, performing across the UK and beyond.
The band’s members include Keith Morrison on keys and synths, Alasdair Maclean on accordion, Euan McNab on bagpipes and whistles, Jane Hepburn on fiddle and DC Macmillan on drums. Alasdair White can be heard on fiddle on Would the Minister Not Dance?
This is the third single from their new album due for release this summer, which sees the band incorporate the textures and sounds of modern synth pop and rock music with their long-standing traditional sound.
The single’s accompanying video depicts an artistic view of a minister’s connection to God, where the minister sees the night sky dance before him.
Keith Morrison said: ‘Despite this tune being hundreds of years old, we found it sounded very modern in nature and lent itself well to added pipes, bass and synth. Its name also made us stop and think about the back story, adding a humorous element which we love.
‘We’re over the moon with how the track’s turned out and although the minister might not have been keen to dance, we can just see fans jumping up and down with delight to this one.’
Would the Minister not Dance? will be available to stream and download on all digital platforms from Friday 8 April 2022.
Find out more at www.facethewest.co.uk
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