The band has made waves in the genre, landing high Billboard and iTunes World Music chart positions as well as major television appearances on shows like Live With Regis And Kelly, A&E Breakfast With the Arts and PBS’ popular program Out of Ireland, with its multi-influence style of Celtic rock. It’s the kind of overall sound and devotion package that has created not only die-hard fans, but “Haggis Heads” that follow the band from gig to gig.
The band has been together in its current incarnation since members met in the early 2000s in Toronto, where more than half the band was studying its craft in the city’s colleges and universities. With that kind of classically trained background Enter The Haggis is constantly honing and evolving its sound – blending elements of rock and pop with traditional Celtic fare, an art school eclecticism and a keen sense of arrangement. Past records have seen the band dabble in roots, funk, even adding prog rock elements to the mix, but ETH always manages to bring it home. Alternating between upbeat rock numbers with sing-along choruses and slower, more introspective alt pop songs, the band plays progressive and lyrically driven music that’s strongly rooted in Celtic tradition – from the storytelling to the bagpipes.
“We like to experiment musically, pushing the boundaries of what people think of as Celtic music,” said vocalist and guitarist Trevor Lewington. “Some of our grooves, melodies and lyrics are quite different from other bands that we play with.”
For instance, “Suburban Plains,” one of the songs on the band’s new album Gutter Anthems, mixes an African-inspired drumbeat in 5/4 time with tin whistle melodies and lyrics in English and French. "The Death of Johnny Mooring" combines a fiddle melody with Rage Against the Machine-inspired riff-rock. There’s a fiddle solo in the song in which fiddle player Brian Buchanan uses distortion, wah pedal and whammy pedal on the instrument. Béla Fleck’s done that with a banjo, but fiddle might be a first.
It’s been a long time coming though, and Enter The Haggis has definitely been reworking its music and building success over the past several years. 2004’s release Casualties of Retail (United For Opportunity), not only stretched the limits of Celtic rock musically, but topically as well with straight-shooting socio-political tracks such as “Gasoline” and “Congress.” 2006’s Soapbox Heroes, produced by four-time Grammy award winner Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits, Paul McCartney), hit number two during its July release on the iTunes World Music chart and later marked the band’s Billboard debut when it landed at number eight on the World Chart there. 2007’s Northampton (Live) was recorded over four sold-out shows in one weekend at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA, and was a testament to the band’s focus on touring, fan participation, and its regional stronghold in the Northeast U.S.
Now, the band’s seventh album, Gutter Anthems, is Enter The Haggis’ most cohesive record to date, yet one that makes the band’s eclecticism shine. Recorded in Fall 2008 at The Hive in Toronto and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, the record will be released this March on new model indie label United For Opportunity. Expect a combination of rousing drinking songs with well-arranged rock and pop tunes.
Songs like opening track “The Litter And The Leaves” with its upbeat tempo and rousing anthemic chorus see the band embracing a jig-punk direction a la The Dropkick Murphys, while tracks like “Real Life” embrace the more traditional feel of tin whistle and fiddle throughout. “Noseworthy and Piercy” and “The Death of Johnny Mooring” find the band embracing its Canadian roots in true tales from the homeland. There’s also a marked “little guy vs. the world” theme, derived from the trials of being an indie band trying to make it in the current music industry climate.
This year the band plans to focus more than ever on its homeland, and is looking forward to spending a great deal of time in Canadian territory. Gutter Anthems will be released on United for Opportunity on March 24, 2009 amid a March East Coast tour, including a blowout celebration on St. Patrick’s Day at The Mod Club in the band’s native Toronto. “We’ve started feeling nostalgia for our homeland,” said fiddler, keyboardist and vocalist Brian Buchanan. “And this album feels more distinctly and unapologetically Canadian than our previous albums.” This year Canada. Next year the world.
December Ends
Enter The Haggis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My face was to the mirror
Broken wings are lovely things
If they can lead you nearer
In ever cloud, there is some silver
Every shadow comes from light, yeah
Something takes my hands and makes
Shinging one, you're the sun
And i am burning up inside you
Shadows fly on wings of pride
And if I follow, I will find you
Silent one, on my own
I whisper to you
"I remember"
My eclipse is on your lips
And finger tips
Until December ends...
Until December ends
Even though I know my name
I know myself inside you
People loathe December snow
But they don't need you, I do
Crimson women misbehave
And I reap the consequences
Fading to the jade in you
And surrender my defenses...
Shining one, you're the sun
And I am burning up inside you...
And I say...
And I say, yeah...
Shining one, you're the sun
And I am burning up inside you
Shadows fly on wings of pride
And if I follow, I will find you
Silent one, on my own
I whisper to you
"I remember"
My eclipse is on your lips
And finger tips
Until December ends...
Until December ends
The lyrics of "December Ends" carry a mix of emotions and introspection. The opening lines, "Sorry, did I startle you? My face was to the mirror," create a feeling of someone who has been caught off guard and is reflecting on their actions or feelings. The next line, "Broken wings are lovely things if they can lead you nearer," is a slightly enigmatic metaphor that suggests the idea of being broken can be beautiful if it brings one closer to something. The remainder of the verse goes on to suggest that even in dark moments, there is always some silver lining, and that something greater than oneself can make everything okay.
The chorus of "December Ends" talks about a "shining one" who is like the sun, and the singer is "burning up inside" this person. There is a sense of admiration and perhaps obsession in these lines, as well as a desire to follow this person wherever they may lead. The "silent one" of the second verse seems to be the same person, and the lyrics suggest the vocalist is speaking to them in some way - likely metaphorically. There is a sense of longing and memory in these lines, with the singer whispering, "I remember." The sense of intensity and desire returns in the final lines of the song, where the vocalist talks about their "eclipse" being on the lips and fingertips of their beloved until December ends.
Ultimately, "December Ends" is a song that explores a mix of emotions and the idea of being drawn to someone or something greater. There is a sense of awe and yearning in the lyrics, as well as a mix of dark and light emotions. The song seems to suggest that even in the darkest of moments, there can be beauty and something that makes everything okay.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorry, did I startle you?
I'm sorry if I frightened you with my sudden appearance
My face was to the mirror
I was just looking at myself in the mirror when you arrived
Broken wings are lovely things / If they can lead you nearer
Even if you're wounded, it can be beautiful if it brings you closer to someone or something
In every cloud, there is some silver / Every shadow comes from light, yeah
Every difficult situation has a bright side, and every shadow comes from a source of light
Something takes my hands and makes / The wrong in me all right
There's something that guides me and makes me feel like everything is okay, even when I'm doing something wrong
Shining one, you're the sun / And I am burning up inside you
You're so bright and amazing that I feel overwhelmed and consumed by your presence
Shadows fly on wings of pride / And if I follow, I will find you
If I pursue my ambitions, I know I'll find you there, shining and glorious
Silent one, on my own / I whisper to you / 'I remember'
When I'm alone, I talk to you silently and say, 'I remember' as a way to remind myself of your influence and inspiration
My eclipse is on your lips / And finger tips / Until December ends...
I feel like my love and passion for you is being mirrored in your every move and gesture, and I want it to continue for as long as possible
Until December ends...
I want this feeling to last until the end of the year, until the winter season is over
Even though I know my name / I know myself inside you
Even if I have my own identity and sense of self, I feel like I'm most alive and authentic when I'm with you
People loathe December snow / But they don't need you, I do
Most people dislike the hardships of winter, but I actually want it because it gives me a reason to seek out your warmth and light
Crimson women misbehave / And I reap the consequences
Sometimes I get into trouble because of the allure of passionate, reckless women
Fading to the jade in you / And surrender my defenses...
I'm letting go of my guard and giving in to your calming, soothing presence
And I say...
I have something important to tell you, but I haven't said it yet
Contributed by Landon T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Irma Cello
Still one of my favs ❤
Ardail Coffey
I wish there were more bands like this one, but here in america, we next to no taste for british music these days
The_Urixen
they are canadian so they are pretty much american