Fruit Tree Foundation

A couple of summers ago, it seemed like I was listening to nothing but Scottish music, the two early albums by Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit, a bit of James YOrkston, some reissued Fire Engines, Sons & Daughters...and it wasn't a bad thing at all. The Fruit Tree Foundation brings together a few of these artists -- plus a few others (Rod Jones from Idlewild, Emma Pollack from the Delgados, Alasdair Roberts -- to raise money and awareness for the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Unlike a lot of benefit records (and even for-profit compilations), this one is not made up of cast-offs from earlier sessions. The artists actually went to a house in Perthshire to write the music, consciously focusing on themes around mental well-being...The songs fit together rather well as a result, and, moreover, there are lots of interesting pairings. I like this one, particularly, which puts Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit and Rod Jones from Idlewild together, in a fairly compelling blend of vulnerability and guitar shimmer...

"I Forgot the Fall"