Mike Davies

Cara Luft and JD Edward make a welcome return as The Small Glories as they celebrate a sense of place. On the final track ‘Winnipeg,’ they sing “It’s the music and the vibe where our spirits come alive”, something that seems a pretty good description of the album too.

Nashville-based couple Scott and Kim Collins, best known as The Smoking Flowers, return with a stripped-down acoustic album, an affirmation of their shared love and the triumph over adversity, it snowballs into your heart.

Our reviewer falls under the spell of Skipinnish upon hearing their latest album ‘Steer by the Stars’, with its nautical themes he declares it the “catch of the day”. This is the band’s seventh album and their 20th Anniversary.

Old Man Luedecke’s ‘Easy Money’ is a relaxed and effortlessly listenable take on troubled times and personal tugs and turmoils, this is cash you definitely want in hand.

Western Stars is an album that creeps up on you and leaves your heart hurting. It’s been commented that it seems strange that Springsteen hasn’t responded to Trump’s America, but listen to this album between the lines and you’ll realise that perhaps he has.

Featuring the Afro Celts, Teddy Thompson, Eliza Carthy, Green Gartside, Jackie Oates, Marry Waterson, Stealing Sheep, Honeyfeet and lots more, there’s more than enough invention, inspiration and at times outright eccentricity to ensure there’s something that’ll push your instant replay button.

A simple and homespun album, conjuring earlier, less complicated, more innocent times when folk would work side by side for the common good and come together to play and enjoy music at the end of the day, celebrating the life they had and the memories they cherished. There’s a  glow here.

A hugely personal album with universally recognisable feelings that range from despondency to euphoria, it takes a while to seep inside your mind and spirit, but, as with a bruised and broken heart, it’s worth persevering so as to experience the relief of  it beating again.

One of the year’s finest albums, Daria Kulesh’s ‘Earthly Delights’ extends the Russian folklore and heritage that characterised its predecessor, Long Lost Home.

Kelly Hunt puts her vintage Depression-era calfskin tenor banjo to good use on her debut album, a collection of often story-led self-penned songs – we strongly suggest you should keep an eye on this sparrow.

Cricket Blue’s lyrics and influences are beautifully couched and lovingly incorporated, resulting in a fresh sounding, true delight of an album that fully deserves to provide the serotiny to see the duo blossom from germination into full radiant bloom.

Already a sizeable chart success and with a  UK tour lined up for October, Sutherland has spent most of his adult inhabiting characters and life telling stories. This is firm evidence that he can do it with behind a guitar just as well as he can do it in front of a camera.