The Gypsy Soul Experience

Iain Petrie plays most of the instruments himself on "I’ll Stay By You". Not neatly fitting in any genre, he tip-toes through pop, folk, soul and jazz with a Celtic slant. On this, the debut offering from Iain Petrie, the styles may be varied, but the result is an album of no small beauty.

Those who long for the heather-carpeted landscape of Caledonia will dream away with "I’ll Stay By You". The soft harmonies float through the songs like a gentle wind and leave you feeling the emotion; you don't even need to hear the words. The folkier songs such as "The Awakening" really leave you transformed by the end as you relax and get into the sounds offered up by this talented multi-instrumentalist.

After knocking around the Scottish music scene for the best part of a decade, Iain Petrie should finally receive the recognition he deserves with his debut album. It's sung in a timeless timbre deeply rooted in the Scottish landscape and its people and the result is a quiet but commanding masterpiece of profound humanity.

You'll hear the decades of experience reflected in the musical abilities. Rich, varied and just plain pretty (like his native land), "I'll Stay By You" is sure to find a place in your heart.