Songsmith Soren is set for Birnam stage

Feb 17 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

RISING Scots singer-songwriter Soren Maclean will bring his folk-rock sound to a rural Perthshire venue this week.

The Mull lad and his band are playing at the Birnam Institute on Thursday, ahead of the release of his debut single Bus Tax And Bars next week.

Maclean has impressed on the Scottish tour and festival circuits, and he has already worked with the likes of King Creosote, Michael Marra, Mull Historical Society’s Colin MacIntyre and the late Martyn Bennett in his short career to date.

Proving his pedigree, the songsmith made his second appearance at Celtic Connections at the end of last month when he provided support to James Yorkston.

The new single marks a decisive step in a typically Scottish, under-the-radar journey that’s seen the 19-year-old musician, alongside drummer John Barlow and double-bassist Gordon Maclean - Soren’s dad - gather popular and critical acclaim in recent years.

Now familiar faces on the country’s foremost live platforms, the last couple of years have also seen the trio garner strong support from Scottish radio stations.

It’s a telling endorsement that the talents of both Macleans and Barlow (Sorren’s childhood friend and school band cohort) have long been recognised by some of Scotland’s most renowned musicians. Martyn

Martyn Bennett’s all-encompassing approach to music-making has been a strong influence on Maclean, who often spent time with Bennett in his studio at An Tobar, Mull’s arts centre.

Memorably, the Maclean three played on Bennett’s final album, Grit, and they appeared at the Martyn Bennett Trust’s tribute event at Torosay Castle last August.

The latest in a long line of formative collaborations for Maclean came by working with his colleagues as Colin MacIntyre’s studio band on his forthcoming album.

However, refreshingly, the singer insists that he doesn’t find it easy to cite direct musical influences.

“Growing up on an island, I think I spent more time playing and less time listening to other bands,” he says.

“The band has developed in isolation and the songs, especially in recent times, are often written on buses, boats and trains, travelling to and from Mull.”

Tickets for Soren Maclean’s show at the Birnam Institute on Thursday are available form the venue.

His new single Bus Tax And Bars is available from independent record shops and online from Monday.