Albums

Cinnamon Tree, the debut album from a teenaged Nora Brown, took me by surprise. I love the tunes and it makes great listening but even more importantly it shows that even the old tunes are still capable of being passed on. It also shows us what a talent for playing and interpretation Nora has.

As Christmas this year was approaching, we visited James Yorkston at The Lexington for the last date of his short December run. He was on grand form as ever and put on a great show which was opened by Uillean pipers Paddi Benson & Grace Lemon.

Celebrating their 45th Anniversary, there’s plenty of vitality on this new release. It’s uplifting, jolly fun all the way, tempered with an easy musicality that doesn’t patronise, and splendidly well recorded.

Danny Neill looks back at 2019 and shares his top ten albums including releases from Mama’s Broke, Vetiver, Sean Taylor, Richard Dawson, The Waterboys, Eilen Jewell, Jesca Hoop, Steve Gunn, Joan Shelley and Anna Tivel.

Framed is a fascinating, moving and extremely well-researched insight into a little-known chapter in the history of the peace movement in the UK, the continuing relevance of which in today’s political climate cannot be denied.

David Kidman shares his Top Ten Albums of 2019 including releases from Belinda Kempster & Fran Foote, Bird in the Belly, Green Ribbons, Jon Boden, Lankum, Josienne Clarke, Kathryn Tickell and more.

Mike Davies shares his Top Ten albums of 2019 including Emily Mae Winters, Luke Jackson, Caroline Spence, Allison Moorer, Danny Schmidt, Daria Kulesh, Rachel Harrington and more.

Glenn Kimpton looks back at 2019 and shares his top 10 albums of the year including Jake Xerxes Fussell, Rant, Sarah Louise, Rob Harbron, J.R. Bohannon, Bill MacKay and Katinka Kleijn, Charles Rumback & Ryley Walker, Bill Callahan & more.

Buck Curran and Tompkins Square have done a fine job here, both in paying tribute to the late great Jack Rose and bringing in a number of superb players. Fantastic stuff and a real testament to the quality of current material available to those who seek it.

Folk Radio’s Thomas Blake shares his Top 10 albums of 2019 including Richard Dawson, Bill Callahan, Brìghde Chaimbeul, C Joynes, House And Land, Alex Rex and more.

Tommy Sands has made his Sargent Pepper, his Pet Sounds, an album that smashes down the boundaries of traditional Irish Folk music and embraces every culture that exists in Ireland today, and them some! A stunning album.

It’s that time again where we look back at the past year to share with you what an incredible journey it has been. Here are our Top 100 Albums of the year for 2019 as well as the Best Live Albums, Reissues and Compilations.