Albums

Like the sound of the wind in the reeds from which Yeats took inspiration, Abbé’s music is full of shifting natural beauty, whispers and sighs that could be sounds of sorrow or of love. Numberless Dreams is masterful in its delivery and intriguing in its opacity.

Touching on both loneliness and the need for solitude, Cousins has reached within and emerged with an album that fully rewards on both a musical and emotional level. There’s no false bravado here.

A terrific follow-up to her 2014 sophomore album, Undercover finds Bronwynne Brent exploring broader influences resulting in a far jazzier sound. An irresistible album. Don’t miss her upcoming UK tour dates.

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”.