Johnny Whalley

Safe Travels, the latest offering from Christina Alden & Alex Patterson, is an immensely well-crafted follow-up to their 2021 album, and while familiar, it rapidly delivers unexpected treats. From its beautiful illustrations and fascinating text to the final notes of The Mountain Hare, Safe Travels left a deep, appreciative smile on my face. It’s only May, but I feel I have a strong contender for my album of the year.

If you’re seeking music that beautifully honours the traditions of this season, look no further than Jackie Oates & John Spiers’ “A Midwinter’s Night”, in which they carry these cherished traditions with inspiring grace.

The exquisite vocal arrangements on ‘Great Joy to the New’ will excite and amaze as much as any of Janice Burns and Jon Doran’s previous work, and the brass arrangements pack such a punch that they put a smile on my face every time.

Jon Doran and The Northern Assembly’s debut EP gives clear notice that this impressive folk trio are overflowing with ideas for the production of imaginative, entertaining music – they hold great promise for the future.

Johnny Whalley catches up with Scottish fiddler Ryan Young, who chats about learning to play the fiddle again and how one of his big heroes, Martin Hayes, will produce and perform on his third album.

In the second of our Wickham Festival interview-shorts, Johnny Whalley catches up with Katherine Priddy, who chats about her recent musical journey and her third album.

We catch up with Muireann Bradley at Wickham Festival. The 17 year old blues and folk guitarist and singer from Ballybofey in County Donegal, Ireland released her debut album last year on Tompkins Square.

On ‘A Little Bit Slanted’, Molly Donnery and The Ciderhouse Rebellion revisit a selection of traditional Irish songs, supercharging each in subtly different ways.

Sam Lee’s ‘Songdreaming’ pleases on so many levels, the significance of the stories told by the lyrics build in your mind while powerful arrangements do what music does best, evoking emotional response after emotional response.

With The Outset, Project Smok display to perfection just how satisfying their music can be, having developed a framework that ensures both traditional and electronic instruments sit comfortably together. A rewarding listen.

Three Galleys showcases the excellent vocal, instrumental and compositional talents of folk trio Holly & The Reivers. The diverse range and exceptional quality of material means I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next chapters of their stories.

‘Just a Second’ showcases the exceptional talent of the young Scottish fiddler Ryan Young. He brings out the true essence of every tune, taking the listener on a journey from blissful tranquillity to foot-tapping stomps. It’s a delightful musical experience from start to finish.

Featuring richly textured arrangements and a stunning array of instruments, In Phase gives another massive boost to Benji KIrkpatrick’s reputation as both a songwriter and an astoundingly varied multi-instrumentalist.

Delivered with freshness and vigour, Track Dogs’ latest release finds their musical smörgåsbord as varied as ever. While sounding joyous, the lyrics and music of Blind Summits and Hidden Dips also reveal depth and complexity on repeat listens.

Joined by Yann Le Bozac and Sylvain Quéré, True North is probably Calum Stewart’s finest album yet, throughout which he delivers a most delightful and varied paean of praise to the north of Scotland.

Joshua Burnell’s music has always thrived on the blurring of boundaries. However, with Glass Knight, his most daring and deeply rewarding album to date, he’s written music that simply refuses to recognise their existence.

This is the third Dàimh album I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, and my enjoyment of and respect for their music just keeps on growing. If you’ve not sampled their music before, listening to Sula is a great place to start. And if you have, you’ll already be ordering your copy.

With Diad, Tim Edey & Ross Ainslie capture the freshness and spontaneity that has long been a hallmark of their live performances. It’s an album to be enjoyed again and again.