Grace Stewart-Skinner‘s debut album, Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie (out now), is a deeply personal and culturally significant project that serves as an “ethnomusicological postcard” of her home village, Avoch. The blending of her original musical compositions with field recordings of the local Avochie dialect has resulted in a musical tribute to the village’s unique heritage and once-thriving fishing community.
The Heart of the Project: Preserving Avochie
Avoch (Auch), a historic fishing village on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands, is home to its own unique dialect of Scots, “Avochie,” described by Grace as having a blend of Scots and Gaelic elements, with a vocabulary strongly tied to the sea. With the shift towards commercial fishing, the dialect has been fading, a fact that spurred her into action. Grace says, “The language will be gone within a generation. Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie is integral in conserving language and celebrating culture.”
The inspiration for the album came following the rediscovery of an old video of her late grandfather, William “Walsie” MacLeman Skinner (her “Boba”), reciting his own poetry in his native Avochie tongue. Shocked to find almost no other recordings of the dialect in official archives, Grace, a composer and ethnologist, took it upon herself to preserve it by recording conversations with her Boba’s old friends and family.
Music as a Frame
As a musician, Grace’s natural response was to weave these precious recordings into a musical tapestry. Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie features her on the clàrsach (Scottish harp), alongside Rose Logan on fiddles, Rhona MacDonald on double bass, and Ewa Adamiec on percussion. The album was co-produced by Grace, Rachel Newton, and Naafi (on Boba’s).
Grace describes her compositions as a “frame” for the recordings. The music doesn’t just accompany the voices; it enhances them, highlighting the beauty and significance of the language and stories. Grace’s experimental approach to composition and clàrsach technique, alongside the intuitive playing of Rose, Rhona and Ewa, is remarkable. At times, the spoken word almost transforms into song. The album is heartfelt, and this comes across in the recording; there’s an undeniable emotional weight to the album. It also features some surprising moments that highlight her progressiveness, such as on “Th’ Herrin’ Must’ve Taken Fricht,” where they cleverly bring life to the piece, capturing the movement of the sea and fish through percussion and fiddle.
The tracks guide the listener through a journey into Avoch’s past, evoking the hustle and bustle of the herring fishing days. The album includes recitations of two original poems by her grandfather and a new, specially commissioned poem in Avochie by her father, Ross Skinner, one of the last Avochie fishermen still working at sea (more below).
The Voices of Avoch
The album is a genuine community effort, featuring the voices, stories, and memories of:
- William (Walsie) MacLeman Skinner
- Lewie (Boy Blue) Patience
- Ross (Young Walsie) Skinner
- Alastair (Clachie) Jack
- Moira (Maable) Reid
Through these voices, the listener hears tales of the sea, the vital role of women in the community, local anecdotes, and the changes the village has witnessed over the decades. Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie stands as a monumental debut, a powerful act of cultural preservation, and a beautiful tribute to the people, language, and spirit of Avoch.
Poetry, Conversations, Stories & memories
The well-written liner notes provide insight into several of the album’s tracks, which are built around specific poems and conversations.
Poetry from the Past and Present:
The album is anchored by three poems. “Th’ Herrin’ Must’ve Taken Fricht” and “Boba’s,” are written and recited by Grace’s grandfather, William MacLeman Skinner. They recall the excitement of the local herring season and the necessity of travelling as far as Whitby to follow the fish. A third, “Dad’s Poem,” is a poignant, modern reflection by Grace’s father, Ross Skinner, on the changes in the village, mourning the loss of the fishing landmarks but celebrating the enduring “spirit ‘n’ values” of Avoch.
Conversational Snapshots:
Many tracks are built from the natural conversations Grace recorded. “Whit’s ‘ad Lochie?” is a humorous exchange as Lewie and Alastair try to recall the name of a loch on Skye.
“G’ in th’ Harbour Inn fir a Dram” captures stories of “square up day” (payday), listening to the old fishermen’s tales, and the local belief that the arrival of the herring—”Dr Kessik”—cured all ills by bringing prosperity.
Stories and Memories:
Tracks like “Mrs Moira Reid o’ George Street” feature local stories about village bynames, and a tale of “Granny P,” who defiantly saved her railings from being taken for the war effort. The track “Womun” is a tribute to the strong women of Avoch who managed everything while the men were at sea, from baiting lines to carrying their husbands on their backs to the boats before a pier was built.
An Evocative Roll Call:
The track “Boats” is a simple yet powerful moment where the speakers list the names of the old Avoch fishing fleet—Maggie MacLeman, Enterprise, Guiding Star, Pioneer, Clever Lassie—evoking the memory of a bygone era.
In addition to being a remarkable debut, Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie is a work of cultural preservation. Its greatest strength lies in the seamless fusion of the personal and the historical, where family heirlooms, such as poems from a beloved grandfather, conversations that would otherwise be forgotten, become the foundation for a wider community archive. Grace Stewart-Skinner’s innovative approach—framing authentic conversations and stories with her own evocative compositions—elevates the project beyond simple documentation. The result is a profoundly moving and essential tribute that not only preserves the Avochie dialect for future generations but also celebrates the spirit, humour, and resilience of the community that shaped it.
It’s one of the most engaging and evocative albums I’ve heard this year.
Order via Bandcamp: https://gracestewart-skinner.bandcamp.com/album/auchies-spikkin-auchie
Website: https://gracestewartskinner.co.uk/auchies-spikkin-auchie