Grit is the last studio album by Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 celtic fusion

Celtic Fusion

Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic," or Celtic music which incorporates modern music. It is a syncretic musical tradition which borrows freely from the perceived "Celtic" musical traditions of all the Celtic nations, as well as from...

 artist Martyn Bennett

Martyn Bennett

Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

. It was released October 13, 2003 on the Real World label.

The song was a marked departure from his previous albums in that Martyn's was reliant on using samples as he was too weak to play his instruments. Also by the time of the album it was now clear that there was every danger that it may prove his last, that he was in effect writing his own musical epitaph.

The name "Grit" was chosen to represent the double edged nature of his life at that time, for as well as representing the courage required to carry on his life as normal instead of merely giving up in despair, grit can also be something irritating and debilitating (eg. grit in the eye)

The track "Liberation" drew praise from some circles within the Free Church of Scotland

Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)

Free Church of Scotland is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900...

 and Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland

Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland

The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland was formed in 1893 and claims to be the spiritual descendant of the Scottish Reformation...

 - the track is based around a reading by Michael Marra

Michael Marra

Michael Marra is a Scottish musician from Dundee.Jenny Marra, the Labour MSP, is his niece.-History:Michael Marra was brought up in the Lochee district of Dundee. His first public performance was at an NCR Christmas party in the 1950s...

 of Psalm 118

Psalm 118

Psalm 118 is the 118th psalm of the Book of Psalms. Verses 8-9 are notable as the centre verses of the Protestant Bible .-Judaism:*Is one of six psalms of which Hallel is composed...

. The track "Rant" sampled Jimmy MacBeath

Jimmy MacBeath

Jimmy MacBeath was an itinerant worker and singer of Bothy Ballads from the north east of Scotland. He was a source of traditional songs for singers of the mid 20th century Folk Revival in Great Britain.-Life:...

 and the track Ale House, sampled Jeannie Robertson

Jeannie Robertson

Jeannie Robertson was a Scottish folk singer.-Hamish Henderson and Alan Lomax:It is not known where Jeannie Robertson was born but she did live at 90, Hilton Street in Aberdeen, where a plaque now commemorates her. Like many of the Scottish Travellers from Aberdeen, Glasgow and Ayrshire, she went...

.

The album Mackay's Memoirs

Mackay's Memoirs (album)

Mackay's Memoirs is the last recorded work by Scottish Celtic fusion artist Martyn Bennett. It was released on April 15, 2005 by the City of Edinburgh Music School....

featuring Martyn's compositions was recorded by Broughton High School the morning after his death in 2005, those involved only discovering about Martyn's death after they'd finished.

Track listing

1. "Move" – 4:10
2. "Blackbird" – 6:10
3. "Chanter" – 4:10
4. "Nae Regrets" – 3:50
5. "Liberation" – 4:20
6. "Why" – 4:30
7. "Ale House" – 3:50
8. "Wedding" – 5:45
9. "Rant" – 4:31
10. "Storyteller" – 9:39