Colin Macleod

Colin needs little introduction to the island community.

Tradition, community and the rugged ways of island life all soak into Hold Fast, his first album for SO Recordings, out now. From the plangent, spacious Americana of the string laden opener ‘Queen of the Highlands’ to his heartfelt love letter to home ‘This Old Place’, Hold Fast tells the tale of a man returning to the island where he was born after trying to make it in the world. Contrasting parts – Springsteen-style widescreen rock on ‘The Long Road and Sleep’, introspective acoustic folk on ‘Made of Stone’ and ’33’ – contribute to a poignant whole. And although it may sound like a story culled from his own experience, it is a work of fiction. It just happens to be fiction embedded in truth.

Along the way, Colin has made friends with Glasgow bands Snow Patrol and Frightened Rabbit, supported Roger Waters and Robert Plant, and fallen in with a tight community of musicians on the island. Then there is American country rock superstar Sheryl Crow, who guests on the first single from the album, ‘Old Soul.’

The strongest message on Hold Fast is to be thankful for what you’ve got. MacLeod is a keen surfer – the freezing cold Hebrides may not have the tropical allure of Hawaii, but the waves are pretty good. Between crofting, rearing his herd of sheep, surfing, songwriting, family life, and even leaving Lewis every now and then to tour and play gigs with legendary rockstars, it is not a bad life at all!