Mike Davies

Five years on from his last release, Slaid Cleaves returns with ‘Together Through The Dark’, an album that reinforces his status as one of Americana’s finest singer-songwriters on a collection of songs that speak of loss, longing, change and trying to make it through.

Iris Dement is not dictated to by label demands and deadlines, so when she releases her first album of original material in over a decade, she has something to say. Workin’ On A World is insightful, thoughtful and essential listening. This is the sacred now. 

Hailing from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, through ‘Dark Island’, the folk-rock quartet Villages, deliver a musical love letter to their native homeland in all its wild beauty.

Recorded in 2022, Will Varley’s ‘Through The Lowlands’ is a live showcase of two decades worth of material…this album is a forceful reminder of the sort of power he brings to his performances, whatever the size of the stage.

Until The Rivers Run Dry is John Blek’s most romantic, relaxed and readily accessible work to date. It finds him at the peak of his powers, although we expect more great things to come.

Jaimee Harris’s 2020 Red Rescue was an auspicious debut, but Boomerang Town is a far stronger, more reflective, more emotional and masterful album that firmly announces her as both a voice and a writer of the finest grade.

Benjamin Dakota Rogers’ ‘Paint Horse’ is a plaintive offering, veined with the sensibilities of an accomplished storyteller and steeped in the folk music of his roots.

Ron Sexsmith has been making music for so long that he makes it sound effortless. With ‘The Vivian Line’, his laid-back vibe presents a soothing listening experience – like snuggling up in a favourite blanket and letting your troubles wash away.

Angry and tender, deeply personal and socially aware in equal measure, Jarrod Dickenson’s ‘Big Talk’ is an album born of triumph over adversity and a fine reminder that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. 

Kim Edgar’s ‘Consequences’ features collaborations with the likes of Louis Abbott, Rachel Sermanni, James Grant, Boo Hewerdine, and Horse McDonald. It was initially released as a song a month but is now gathered together in this superbly ambitious album to be launched at Celtic Connections.

With ‘How Can I Say This?’, an all-woman-supported project with contributions from over 40 artists, Annie Capps finds a way to speak about the hard things in her life in the most eloquent and moving way. 

Musically and lyrically, Every Acre is H.C. McEntire’s most complex work yet, at times impressionistic, at others painfully direct, it’s an album you need to immerse yourself in over repeated listens, but the rewards are immense.