Imagine Alba - bringing Scotland to you

Do you suffer from low moods, a broken funny bone or Dad Dancing Disorder? Then you need a dose of The Woods Family’s Finest Tonic™!

Blended Americana, made in Scotland. That’s how The Woods Family describe their flavoursome transatlantic mojo of 11 herbs and spices.

“We take some roots from the Mother Country and beef that up with classic American country & western music,” shares producer Rab Woods. “Then we add some old time herbs, a few sprigs each of bluegrass and jazz, and for some sweet notes, more than a dash of blues.”

It takes a whole mess of Woods to conjure this particular recipe. In the mix are Fiddlin Rob, Banjy Boy Bertie, Robert on harmonica, Washboard Slim on percussion, Rip on mandolin, Shelly Nae on drums and Bob on bass.

Pater familias, Rab, produced the album, and since things were getting a bit incestuous with all those Woods, Tonic features a guest performance by keyboard player David Morrison, of The Placks.

Mastering engineer Reuben Taylor, who has worked with Meursault and Storm the Palace, and sound engineer Niall Sinclair, who has worked with Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro and Amy MacDonald, help bring out the band’s retro vibe on the album.

“The world desperately needs a tonic right now,” explains Dobro picker extraordinaire Bobby Donny Woods. “And since the family has been stuck out on the farm during the pandemic, we’ve been producing a metric crap tonne of it. Distilled to its purest form, our Tonic is like a vaccine for your soul, a way to transcend the mental confines of lockdown. It’ll placate ya and medicate ya!”

Tonic™ is a proud sponsor of Mississippi Michelle the Southern Belle on WTNC Radio, broadcasting the soundtrack for Cruachan County on weekday afternoons.

“Tonic is what I call ‘soul food for your ears,’” gushes Miss Michelle, who debuted the album on her programme to critical and mass acclaim throughout the Hollow Mountain area. “The music encapsulates the entire spectrum of life- love, loss, good times, bad times, murder, revenge, drinking, insomnia and grannies- plus it’s got a good beat that you can dance to!”

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