Albums

Patient, pensive and meditative, as well as witty, ironic and razor-sharp, these fully realised sketches are Bill Callahan at the top of his game.

+1 is a stunningly eclectic and talent-packed collection that accurately reflects Mike Barnett’s range and gifts as a fiddle player and composer, while generously spotlighting the talents of his musical collaborators.

Unbecoming indeed, this one is a huge leap forward for Eli Winter, it has plenty of guts and spirit and is musically rich and challenging. Excellent stuff.

Every line feels crafted, the lyrics exude a mix of storytelling, spirituality, wit, passion and poetry. It would be criminal if this weren’t nominated for the next Mercury prize.

Rura will never forget this night. Armed with this album, we can acquire a small stake in those memories, along with some of the very best contemporary Scottish music.

Afrik Toun Mé is passionate yet complex in its sonic palette, the vocal structures, dynamism of the textures and utterly compelling rhythms produce an alchemy all of their own.

Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff, finds veteran singer-songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips addressing the strange fragility of life.

With ‘Into The Depths of Hell’, Belfast-based Joshua Burnside delivers yet another challenging but electrifying album. Potent and thought-provoking, it’s one to cherish.

Memories are strange things and Annie Dressner’s memories from Coffee at the Corner Bar enable listeners to enter a world they may never have visited, but probably understand better than they think.

McVittie never loses the wide-eyed sense of wonder at the poetry of the natural world. If she set out to reflect that beauty and wonder in music, she has succeeded admirably.

Joshua Burnell grabs our attention and imagination with this brilliantly accessible album, bursting at the seams with ideas, imagery and an assured ability with melody and song structure. Outstanding.

Thread is a wonderful, deeply thought out, rich and engaging album that manages to sound completely original within the parameters of its musical roots.