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1 Landermason Stand Together (Lander- mason LAMA009) Sixth studio album from versatile multi-instrumentalists Fiona Lander and Paul Mason plays to their Northumbrian roots while also proving their developing song-craft. Though leaning more towards lighter jazzy-folk than previous sets, it retains the duo’s trademark accessibility and accom- plishment.
landermason.com
1 Leather’o Six (EP) (Leather’o) York- based alt-Celtic six-piece present six tracks of sometimes Gypsy-influenced folk-rockery: a crowd-pleasing and often potent mix. A valiant attempt to replicate the impact of the band’s popular stage act in an “as-live” studio situation.
yorkcelticband.co.uk
2 Svjata Vatra Muutused/Zminy (Nordic Notes NN113) “Cossack Viking Folk Rock” apparently, and it starts with all the husky hysteria one might expect. But sweeping trombone and woodwind then leaven the “ancient pagan rite of the Holy Fire”, and a thoroughly enjoyable romp through the tra- ditional music of Ukraine and the Baltic coun- tries results.
svjatavatra.com
1 Various Vol.5 – Folk From Estonia (Nordic Notes NN110) Compilation of Estoni- an folk from its own and other releases by prolific German licensing label. A useful win- dow on some of today’s growing Estonian roots scene.
nordic-notes.de
1 Elina Duni Partir (ECM 2587) Tirana- born Duni’s serene voice floats over her own sparse accompaniments on guitar, piano or frame drum in songs of love, loss and leaving – half from songwriters including herself, half traditional – in Albanian, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, French, German and English.
ecmrecords.com
1 Enkel We Are Enkel (Nordic Notes NN112) Four Finnish female singers on melodeons, kantele and viola in largely trad songs and tunes. They’re most musically promising when they move past the ambi- tious crowd-pleasing energy implied by the garish “superhero gang” cover, delivered within, into wittier subtlety.
nordic-notes.de
1 Matti Kallio Waltz For Better Times (Own label, MATKA1) Finnish button-chro- matic accordeonist, ex-Värttinä, in ten of his own compositions, accompanied by the ever- skilful duo of Petri Hakala (mandolin, guitar, mandocello) and double-bassist Hannu Rantanen, with Maria Kalaniemi guesting on one track. Able but undistinctive.
mattikallio.com
1 Eamon O’Leary All Souls (Reveal 076CD) One-third of Alt and worthwhile singer/strings player makes self-penned solo set with Jefferson Hamer on board. Lyrically based within the ballad genre the results are quietly invigorating and descriptively sound. Lyrical dexterity and musical nous combine for a quietly uplifting set.
eamonoleary.net
1 Sangre De Muerdago Noite (Own Label) Medieval-sounding pan-Celtic sounds from Spanish outfit with Galician connec- tions. Thoughtful melodic improvisational work and sparse yet effective arrangements display their instrumental virtuosity. Hints of dark folk and neo folk and an underlying subtlety overcome any self-indulgence.
sangredemuerdago.bandcamp.com
@ Saor Patrol Battle Of Kings (Arc Music. EUCD2788) Lord save us from blokes with ZZ Top beards, thrash guitars, far too many drums and bagpipes howling a stack of tunes which all sound like a close variant on the first one. The results are frightening! They call it Celtic rock…
saorpatrol.com
1 Raintown Seers The Mermaid’s Pool & Other Stories (Raintown Seers) A Derbyshire (High Peak) trio whose latest CD is a pleasing and well-presented collection focusing main- ly on local themes and stories. Plenty of lively interest, but melodies could be stronger.
facebook.com/RaintownSeersUK
1 The Humblebums Please Sing A Song For Us (Talking Elephant TECD400) Celebrat- ing that unlikely pairing of Gerry Rafferty and Billy Connolly, this double CD anthology brings together studio albums and bonus tracks. It’s not too difficult to see from this how both Rafferty’s and Connolly’s equally distinctive performance styles emerged.
talkingelephant.co.uk
@ Tormis Quartet Tormisele – Hommage To Veljo Tormis (Nordic Notes NN114) Two female voices, two electric guitarists, in ver- sions of late Estonian composer Tormis’s com- positions. After the terminally irritating scat- ting opener it has more sincere-seeming moments, but appears more concerned with the musicians’ undoubted cleverness than the meaning of the material.
nordic-notes.de
1 Moonrakers Tides (Moonrakers) Fifth album from this revitalised veteran Oxford- shire combo brings gentle textures, careful arrangements and harmonies to a pleasing mix of traditional items and compositions by band members Jon Bennett and Sarah Fell. Proficient and appealing, if maybe a touch “safe”.
moonrakers.net
2 Juuri & Juuri Korpin Marssi – The Raven’s March (Nordic Notes NN115) Anoth- er fine set of quirky arrangements of trad Finnish tunes with oft-manic spirit and graunch, and two songs, from Emilia Lajunen and Eero Grundström on fiddle/nyckelharpa and harmonium/harmonica. Lajunen is one of Finland’s most capable fiddlers, Sväng’s Grundström unique in his flying-fingers har- monium pumping.
nordic-notes.de
2 Issam Rafea & Gao Hong Life As Is (Inno- va 997) Twelve tracks of improvisations on oud and pipa, Rafea and Hong never having played together before. The sonorous oud contrasts well with the percussive, twittery pipa, and the interplay and empathy of the players are clear – true fusion music.
innova.mu
Calan
1 Various Artists Got The Blues (Univer- sal Music On Demand 5379526) A four-CD set boasting “80 All Time Classics”… well yes… and no. The music is all good but there’s a number of tracks, like the string-laden bal- lads I Can’t Stop Loving You and We’ll Be Together Again sung by Ray Charles, the folky If It’s Monday by Lee Hazelwood, and rock anthem The Pusher from Steppenwolf, that sure ain’t the blues! But considering the range and scope and amount of real blues selected, this budget-price set offers good value for money.
2 Stuart Masters Union Chapel & Else- where (Hi4Head HFHCD024) Very impressive guitar work on debut album: Eastern, jazz, baroque and minimalist stylings all feature, along with covers of Renbourn and Hedges. Also laudable is the brevity of the pieces: no padding here. One to watch.
hi4headrecords.com
2 Coda Train Of Spirits (Coda) Second album from a Co. Mayo-based septet with a pronounced vocal bent. Instrumentation is added to the close harmonies and Donal Lunny’s pristine production adds extra lustre. Subtlety, poise and solid material impress.
codasinging.com
@ The Fonsecas Where The River Meets The Sea (Village Sunsets VS009) Curious stylistic mix, basically Scots folk up against everything else. I'm all for eclecticism but the best here is the reggae folk criss cross. Else- where things get more rootsy and obvious.
thefonsecas.co.uk
2 Steve Wharton Lake District Songs & Poems (Own label) Storyteller, songwriter and singer from Cumbria sets out his wares and good they are too. Passion and commit- ment by the bucketful. A cross between Harry Boardman and Tymon Dogg. I kid you not! Deserves to be heard outside of Cumbria.
cumbriansongs.co.uk
@ Preston-Wild Along The Way (Preston Music 191824818656) From Chicago, Colleen Wild sings and Timothy Preston plays all of the instruments. They have written all the songs. Clever, but there is just nothing that stands out. This is the sort of record the per- petrators have to release themselves.
timothyjprestonmusic.com
2 Calan Deg / 10 (Sain SAIN SCD2790) Calan’s innovative, extrovert take on Welsh traditional music reflects influences from pop, jazz and Brittany. This 10th anniversary compilation includes tracks from four albums plus three new songs, showcasing their sound palette of vocals, fiddles, pipes, whistle, accordeon, piano, guitar and harp.
sainwales.com
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