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1 Clannad Turas 1980 (MIG Music MIG02092) Double album of a recently dis- covered live performance in Germany, record- ed (but never broadcast) by Radio Bremen. An evocative reminder of just how good the all-acoustic Gaelic five-piece were before the synthesisers arrived and everything went Bono-shaped.
mig-music.de
@ Aeyther Into The Forest (Unplugged) (Aeyther) Not sure what’s going on here, the tag is alternative folk and classical but really it’s just a hotch potch of unrelated influences that sound like they’re still in the blender. Rethink!
aeytherbookings@gmail.com
1 Amparanoia El Coro Di Mi Gente (La Marmita/Calaverita 5425021010169) Great Spanish singer Amparo Sanchez has reformed her festival favourite band and re-recorded their debut album from 20 years ago. These new versions are fine, but don’t really add much to the originals. Not quite sure what the point of it is.
amparanoia.com
1 Caesar Pacifici & Brian Brooks In Good Company (Own label) Top-quality musicians blend blues, American music and traditional Irish music with varying degrees of success. Unlike the best of Sweeney’s Men or the Transatlantic Sessions, it’s not a clean hybrid but enjoyable nevertheless.
pacificiandbrooks.com
1 Andrew Mill & Friends Wandering Albatross (Brechin All CDBAR032) When you get over the schizophrenic effect of heavy, four-square Scottish vocals over lively, accom- plished country backings, there are good and sometimes very funny words. A bit of an acquired taste.
brechin-all-records.com
@ Lonesome George Flat As The Earth (Red Box) A set of original songs played over flute-led quartet who offer rhythmic, tex- tured accompaniment to quite weak songs. Sadly music that fails to command attention.
facebook.com/LonesomeGeorgeBand.
1 Dresch Vonós Quartet Forrásból (Fonó FA 400-2) Another day, another Mihály Dresch group. While the self-indulgences of his latest project are arresting, and the musi- cianship exemplary, there’s nothing new in its polished improvisatory sketches of jazz sensi- bilities allied to traditional music.
fono.hu
2 Theresa Kavanagh An Choil Uaigneach – The Lonesome Forest (TK 2017) Donegal fiddler and composer’s music resounds in its sense of place and geographical location. Stylistically redolent of Tommy Peoples and Mairead Ni Maoinaigh, and possessed of a nimble compositional bent. Subtle jazz ele- ments add extra intrigue – recommended.
theresakavanaghmusic.com
1 Jennifer Bell & Wilson Walker And So To Bedlam (JBW001) Bell is a singer-song- writer influenced by traditional English folk. Her gentle vocal style and melodies draw comparisons with Vashti Bunyan and the partnership with Walker also brings some inventive fiddle alongside her lute and 12- string guitar.
jenniferbellsongwriter.com
1 Boxing Banjo Round No 1 (BBCD 001 0 723172 472306) Four young Irish musicians on box, banjo, fiddle and guitar, who play superbly well-performed and constructed sets of tunes. Whoever told them it was a good idea to add the two songs should be pun- ished.
boxingbanjo.com
1 Various Sweden Norway – Norrspel (Ocora Radio France C 560260) Sixteen tracks from Swedish fiddlers Kjell-Erik Eriksson and Jon Holmén and nyckelharper Magnus Holm- ström, twelve from Norwegian hardanger Sunnmøre-tradition fiddlers Leikny Aasen and Vidar Underseth. Top players, fine mate- rial, well-recorded solo, duet or trio, but an odd album in trying to cover both countries, each with many traditions.
editions.radiofrance.fr
1 Brigid Mae Power The Two Worlds (Tompkins Square TSQ5487) Irish songwriter’s second utilises relentless acoustic riffs, hyp- notic drones, melodic piano and a hugely impressive and emotive vocal range in a supe- rior collection of songs of soul-searching, sad- ness, separation and self-assertion. A some- times challenging but always compelling record.
brigidmaepower.com
2 Rab Noakes Welcome To Anniver- saryville (Neon NEONCD021) Rab sings favourite original and traditional songs from his 50-year career. Influences include Buddy Holly, Dylan, and the 1960s Scottish folk scene. Kathleen MacInnes provides superb, smoky lead vocals on Tennessee Waltz and Pity The Poor Immigrant, plus haunting har- mony vocals throughout.
rabnoakes.com
2 Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin’ Alter Boys My Life (Nevermore) Something of an institution in the state of Wisconsin and it’s easy to hear why. Sixteen tracks, selected and remixed to celebrate the band’s 20 years of bluesin’ and groovin’. With the Rev’s strong vocals and tasty guitar licks, blasting harmonica and rock-solid rhythm section, it cooks!
reverendraven.com
1 Zakir Hussain The Rough Guide to Zakir Hussain (Rough Guides RGNET 1372CD) An attempt to put the tabla player in traditional context, duetting with musi- cians that include Shivkumar Sharma (san- toor), Vilayat Khan (sitar), Sultan Khan (sarangi) and his renowned father and tabla guru Alla Rakha. Compiled by Ken Hunt. All licensed from Saregama.
worldmusic.net
1 Kyriakos Sfetsas Greek Fusion Orchestra Vol. 1 (Teranga Beat TBCD 022) Traditional flutes and clarinets meet jazz horns and piano, while melancholic folk melodies merge with galloping funk grooves and prog dynamics. Complex arrangements performed with dazzling virtuosity and just the right amount of 1970s long-haired and wide-flared preposterousness.
terangabeat.bandcamp.com
Kyriakos Sfetsas
@ Amorroma Moment In Time (Appel APR1385) The Belgian group move their repertoire away from traditional European folk-dance music to the songs and tunes of their flautist Jowan Merckx at the same time as broadening their accompaniments to encompass a range of other musical genres. Despite the engaging voice of Elly Aerden this does give them a middle-of-the-road sound.
denappel.be
1 Stuart Forester The Good Earth (Mel- onstone MLNR002) Worthy second offering from Forester, now relocated to rural Aberdeenshire, but that doesn’t mean he’s gone all rustic, as Red Brick Ballads or London Pride prove: such sentiments as change and belonging are universal. Decent backing from sympathetic mates such as Johnny Hardie and Carol Anderson enhance an album of self- written folkery.
stuartforester.com
2 Gemma Khawaja Caelum Scalptorium (own label) Defiantly home-made and quirki- ly-packaged release from a striking singer whose expansive pacing and clear traveller influences stand at the opposite pole to Mil- lennial Blandfolk. Mostly English trad songs receive quasi-mystical arrangements with sparsely picked guitar or electronic ambient sounds (Phoebe Smith meets Brian Eno?).
gemmakhawaja.bandcamp.com
1 Katie Lou McCabe The Golden Green (own label) Yorkshire-based recording debu- tant’s three-track EP rises from the singer- songwriter morass with languorous vocals, sparse piano, a delicate and dextrously picked Telecaster and adroit lyricism. She’s also a film maker, an artist, a dreamer and one to watch.
katieloumccabe.com
2 Ravi Shankar The Rough Guide To Ravi Shankar (Rough Guides RGNET1371CD) This new album (it isn’t the identically titled 2008 release) provides an accessible introduction to the evolution of the great sitarist’s record- ings, with Tilak Shyam featuring in both 78 and LP-length versions. Expertly compiled and notated by Ken Hunt.
worldmusic.net
2 The Staples Singers The Staples Singers Collection (Acrobat ACTRCD9073) Early singles and album tracks on bargain triple CD of sanctified soul-stirrers. When Mavis sings I’m Coming Home over Roebuck’s sparse electric guitar, I’m dancing before the LORD with all my might, girded with a linen ephod. Crikey Moses!
acrobatmusic.net
@ Simon Cousins The Lark And The Blackbird (SCOU3) Former Ophiuchus man returns with a laid-back collection of origi- nals, trad:arrs and covers. Nice enough – though songs already seared into the con- sciousness by Mike Waterson, Maddy Prior and Sandy Denny require something more substantial than being nice enough.
sicousins.co.uk
1 Afrikana Soul Sister (Musicaction) Canadian producer and band mix trad African rhythms and vocals with electronics and techno to engaging, if not entirely origi- nal effect. Some interesting moments and a couple of standout tracks.
afrikanasoulsister.com/
1 Fine Lines Forget About You (Parade PARCD008) Expansive and wide-screen roots rock from Cheshire duo making sizable waves where ever they play. This rolls and twists in equal measure, two tracks from their debut album and two previously unheard, produced by the genius of John Kettle.
wearefinelines.com
2 Fred Guichen Dor An Enez (Paker Prod CD 025) Breton diatonic accordeonist’s richly atmospheric album of compositions includes delirious whirling waltzes, wistfully evocative pieces, and thrilling, darkly up-tempo Breton traditional dances performed with top-flight musicians on flute, guitars, violins, bom- bardes, binou, uilleann pipes, bouzouki, banjo and mandolin.
pakerprod.bzh
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