Welsh rock icons Celt release new album, ‘Newydd’

Welsh music legends, Celt, have released their eagerly awaited new album today – some 15 years since their last album hit the airwaves.

Celt are currently enjoying a busy summer of gigs and to coincide with the live dates they will be releasing their new album, ‘Newydd’ (New) later this month.

The album marks 35 years since the group’s first ever record back in 1989, ‘Da ‘Di’r Hogia’ (Good on the Boys), and 15 years since their last album, ‘Cash is King’.

The years have flown by but Celt have always been busy gigging and releasing music. Although the group’s members have changed over the years, two of the original founder members, Steven Bolton and Barry ‘Archie’ Jones are still core members.

Singer Martin Beattie joined in the early years and is also still very much a part of the group, with his and Steven’s harmonising vocals leading the up-beat and appealing rock ballads which have become so characteristic of the band’s style.

Buzz

The album sees Martin and Steven singing together for the first time on a recording since Celt’s EP ‘Telegysyllta’, released on Sain in 2001.

Archie took time out from the live performing for a while due to other commitments but while stepping in for another band member for a one off gig he was inspired to re-join, full time: “Hearing the crowd’s reaction at the gig gave me a real buzz and I was inspired to write the song ‘Modd i Fyw’ (Way to Live) about the whole experience.

“I then went on to compose the rest of the songs for the album.”

Joining Archie, Steven and Martin on the album are Sion Richards (bass), Dion Hughes (drums), Sion Bayley and Neil Roberts (guitars) and Huw Smith (keys), with a number of other guests, including Euron Jones (pedal steel), Steffan Harri (accordion), John Doyle (guitar), Edwin Humphreys (sax), Pwyll ap Siôn (keys) and Eleri Fôn and Malan Fôn on backing vocals.

Similar to the recently released single from the album, ‘Yr Esgus Perffaith’ (The Perfect Excuse), the songs on the album also keep true to Celt’s unique Welsh rock sound, and there is a feeling of summer flowing through the whole album, with the 12 string guitar featuring quite prominently.

Many of the songs are tributes to close friends of the band – ‘Milwyr Olaf Maes y Gad’ (The Last Soldiers of the Battlefield) was written to remember the band’s original bassist, Robat Henri Jones, while the song ‘Requiem’ was written in response to hearing the sad news of the death of Les Morrison, the musician who played such a prominent part in the band’s history. A special arrangement of Les’ last song, ‘I’m Just a Girl’, also features on the album.

‘Newydd Fydd yr Iaith’ (A New Language) is a song about someone who has to change their way of life and follow a new and better path while ‘Tyfu ar Goed’ (Growing on Trees) is about all the people from the Bethesda area who Archie has met in various countries all over the world. They are everywhere!

Celt will perform in most of Wales’ popular festivals this summer, including Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau, Tafwyl, the National Eisteddfod and Sioe Môn.

No doubt audiences will be thrilled to hear and enjoy so many new songs by this ever popular Dyffryn Ogwen based band.

The album will be streaming on 19.07.24 with a CD version available before the end of July.

Stream Newydd, the new album from Celt on all platforms including Spotify from today.