Albums

Never before have the many strands of Sam Lee’s work come together as they do on Old Wow. Featuring a remarkable cast of players, Old Wow is his most direct, urgent and moving record to date.

20 years on, Michael McGoldrick and his band return to Celtic Connections to perform Fused, locked into the groove, they stayed there like they’d never been away from the Old Fruit Market in Glasgow. Plus Michael talks us through the album, track-by-track.

The Accidental Falls is the construct of five musicians who have a clear handle of what their music is all about. Eyelids play with care and passion, making it clear they are deserving of a much wider audience.

The Unraveling is Drive-By Truckers first album in just over three years. It has a lot of political ground to catch up on, embracing as it does all of Trump’s presidency to date and the unravelling of the nation in its wake.

After a six-year hiatus, Kirsty Almeida returns with Moonbird, a gorgeous album with first-class song writing, immersed in a warm suffusion of light and positivity. Breathe deep.

More than simply a Kingdom In My Mind, The Wood Brothers seem to have established their own kingdom where carefully crafting great material leads to albums that stand the test of time.

Odd West is an album that charms listeners rather than bludgeoning them into submission. New leaves of sound open themselves up to listeners upon repeated playing. The subtlety of McMahon’s music details a master class from an artist who revels in his craft.

Fierce Flowers have not just embraced Americana, they have grabbed it by the lapels and plunged it into their own pot-boiler blend of Parisian and European flavours. They are an ensemble whose music is an absolute delectation to discover. Bon appetit!

We catch Judy Collins on her latest UK tour to promote her new album, Winter Songs, a collaboration with Jonas Fjeld and Chatham County Line. Throughout the evening she shares songs and anecdotes and proves she still has what it takes to be a top-class performer.

Fidil’s Decade is a welcome return from the Donegal fiddle trio and an exceptional album stacked high with spellbinding playing. It represents another artistic triumph for the honourable Raelach imprint which is beautifully packaged as well.

Robb Johnson’s Eurotopia demonstrates why he’s one of our best songwriters in a collection of reflections on his travels around Europe – the people in these places and their stories.

Iris DeMent and Pieta Brown made for a very welcome addition to the Celtic Connections programme. There was clearly plenty of Iris DeMent fans present among the enthusiastic audience who were treated to an exceptional evening featuring some special guests musicians.