Albums

The sisters say the journey to making this album has been a transformative experience… In Roman mythology, the reign of Saturn was regarded as a Golden Age, With Saturn’s Return, the Secret Sisters have entered theirs.

An exceedingly intriguing record, as notable for its deceptively vulnerable character as for its compact, concentrated expressiveness. Diana also confirms herself to be a writer of considerable insight and a performer of no mean sensitivity.

Aoife Nessa Frances has untapped a natural spring of expression and realised the strongest of debuts. This music is all about alerting your inner senses, the silent self that occupies a less defined dreamscape and it works spectacularly well if you are of a mind to go on that journey.

Cup O’Joe have all bases covered…Be it banjo to bass, vocals to violin, every phrase and fill is a complete work in itself. If Americana and Bluegrass is a descendant of Irish and Ulster Scots music, then Cup O’ Joe have brought it home and taught it a lesson.

Dàibhidh’s all-encompassing philosophy is that “traditional music is for everyone”. As he demonstrates on this fine debut, it’s truly a rich and engrossing world into which he hopes that others will readily fall through listening to this album.

“smouldering with an earthy sensuality compared to which, Peggy Lee sounds like a nun…” Tami Neilson said she wanted to make an album of popping firecrackers. Chickaboom! is a veritable Fourth of July display.

On his latest album, Robert Vincent sings “Nobody knows the ending”, but this outstanding album is a very good start on the path to finding the light at the end of the tunnel in which we seem to be lost.

As demonstrated at The David Hall, Megson continue to build and develop their strong sense of identity – from the delights of caravanning to the plight steel industry, they know how to entertain a crowd.

Return to Y’hup serves as a loving homage and sincere tribute, and compellingly illustrates why the estimable Mr. Cutler was ahead of his time. It also achieves its aim of re-affirming Ivor Cutler’s status as a “national treasure”.

Mhairi Hall’s Airs is excellent an album that sets you adrift – mountains, the sea, the grey, the bright, the mist, the sunshine, the solitude, the camaraderie, human emotions, things greater than us, beyond us, behind us, in front of us.

In teasing all the juiciest ingredients from country, folk-troubadour and rockabilly, LaVere is arguably the most undiluted Americana artist as you could wish to find. Fifteen years into her recording career, she’s consistently proving to be one of the genres finest.

Like Lisa O’Neill, Ye Vagabonds and Lankum, Varo share a deep understanding of traditional music, preserving the genre’s heritage with the need to create a form of music that is fresh and new. This accomplished debut should position them at the forefront of the scene.