Paul Kerr

It’s not that often that an album from an unknown quantity totally blindsides you, forcing you to listen, once, twice, thrice and more, all the better to wallow in its excellence. Such is the case with Workin’ And Dreamin’.

Throughout his career, Michael Hurley has inhabited his own niche, a living embodiment of the songs Harry Smith collected for his Anthology Of American Folk Music. Living Ljubljana is an excellent addition to his canon of work.

Orit Shimoni is an excellent teller of tales who should be more widely recognised as she roves around baring her heart. Her latest offering is a nod to her nomadic life.

This is a sheer pleasure to those who cherish Tuli Kupferberg. It’s a grand salute to a man who, with The Fugs, exorcised The Pentagon in 1968 (and caused it to levitate – true story).

Crockett slips into his songs like a duck to water – It’s hard to imagine what he might have added to enhance this experience, some more songs of course, but Lonesome As A Shadow is small and perfectly formed as it is.

Dan Michaelson releases his second solo album, taking on that hypnagogic time of day when one is waking from slumber. First Light is a wallow in angst and misery given wings by the superb music and his tremendous vocals.

Too Dark For Country, a four-song EP by actress/musician Anjana Vasan is the first release from Folkroom Records in three years but it’s been well worth the wait. Recalling at times the authenticity and freshness of Hurray For The Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra’s early rootsier efforts.

Gathering is Josh Ritter’s best collection so far of fractured and fearful characters who are battling the elements and their own inner demons. The album itself is a roller coaster of emotion with Ritter mining a rich seam of Americana music.

Bone On Bone is a powerful declaration from a mature observer of human nature. It’s gutsy and incisive with Bruce Cockburn delving into his musical roots and his personal concerns and ladled with beaucoups of blues and folk.  On the strength of this, he well deserves his induction into The Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame.

Folk Hotel is ultimately another reason to celebrate Tom Russell and his ongoing quest to keep alive the culture and traditions of American dreamers. The album is an excellent collection of songs played in his inimitable style and a fine tribute to his heroes.

With David Ramirez’s ‘We’re Not Going Anywhere’ it’s his songwriting which shines the brightest. He’s an acute observer of the fractured state of the nation, its lost souls and lost ideals but even as he sees discord he is hopeful for the future.

On Stu Larsen’s Resolute, the ten songs float finely from the speakers, his voice an intimate postcard from abroad while the arrangements are nimble and sure footed, an attractive blend of confessional singer/songwriter and pop balladeer.

On Play One More Tom Russell celebrates the songs of Ian & Sylvia Tyson, the Canadian folk duo who were there at the start of the Greenwich Village folk boom and who also were early starters in the country rock stakes in the early seventies.

San Francisco-based Front Country continue to defy the constraints that oft define bluegrass or string band music on Other Love Songs, a follow-up to their acclaimed 2014 album For The Sake Of The Song.

For their latest album Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer literally go off-grid – holed up on a sparsely populated island in the San Juan archipelago. An intimate recording and ultimately a brave one as this pared down delight see-saws between delicate picking and grizzled fuzz.

Lovers and Leavers marks the welcome return of Hayes Carll which finds him in a new space, the songs sparer, the mood reflective. The playing recalling the perfection achieved on Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger and Guy Clark’s debut album.

For newcomers to Diana Jones’ music this might not be the best introduction, but it’s bound to be snapped up by those attending her forthcoming shows which include UK dates in April 2016.

Recorded over the space of ten days in Penner’s hand built wooden shack in the back of beyond Sex & Politics is a rough hewn blast of folk, blues, Gospel and vintage rock’n’roll tempered with layers of electronic wizardry provided by sidekick Jon Wood.