Mara (album)

The title of the album, Mara, comes from the Scottish Gaelic name, meaning "of the sea". In keeping with this title, much of the album has a broadly maritime theme. The album serves as the final album to feature lead singer Donnie Munro on vocals. Munro would leave Runrig in 1997 to pursue a career in politics.^[4]

Mara was released by Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom and Germany, and by Avalanche in the United States. In 2014, it was re–released in a repackaged box set containing four other studio albums released by the band during their tenure with Chrysalis.^[5] The album was the fifth album to be released by the band under Chrysalis, and became their final album to be released by the label.

The album debuted at number twenty-four in the United Kingdom, spending a total of six weeks within the UK Top 100.^[6] In their native Scotland, it peaked at number three on the Scottish Albums Chart,^[6] and eighty one in Germany, spending a total of seven weeks within the Top 100 of the German Albums Chart.^[7]

Mara was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2013, indicating sales in excess of 60,000 copies.^[8]

During the recording sessions for Mara, the band were joined by various sessions musicians to provide music and instrumentals to the albums tracks. Andy Shephard joined the band during the recording sessions, providing soprano saxophone alongside Joe Locke who provided vibes. Backing vocals were provided by Lorna Bannon, Billy Rankin and Amanda Lyon, with Lisa Sinclair providing additional lead vocals alongside Donnie Munro. Additionally, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra provided string sections, arranged by Eddie MacGuire, and The Glasgow Hebridean Gaelic Choir, conducted by Raibert McCallum, once again joined the band as they had done with their previous studio album.^[5]

1. "Day in a Boat" - 2:56
2. "Nothing but the Sun" - 7:15
3. "The Mighty Atlantic" / "Mara Theme" - 6:43
4. "Things That Are" - 4:55
5. "Road and the River" - 4:29
6. "Meadhan Oidhche air an Acairseid" (Midnight on the Harbour) - 4:53
7. "The Wedding" - 4:11
8. "The Dancing Floor" - 5:29
9. "Thairis air a' Ghleann" (Beyond the Glen) - 3:48
10. "Lighthouse" - 3:50

Runrig

• Iain Bayne - drums, percussion
• Malcolm Jones - guitars, hurdy-gurdy, accordion
• Calum Macdonald - percussion
• Rory Macdonald - vocals, bass guitar
• Donnie Munro - lead vocals
• Peter Wishart - keyboards