Albums

Infused with the soul of the great Irish writers and such visionary boho barroom bards as Waits, Morrison, Burroughs or Bukowski, Keenan’s album is surely unlike any other album you’ll hear this year, the breathtaking arrival of a luminous talent.

The Unconquerable past is an album that grows on you the more you listen,  the message is clear,  while the past may seem to be unconquerable, that’s no reason to give up the fight.

Exposed and honest, Weber has regrets but no apologies for who he is, for what drives him, for the heartache in his wake, in the search of making the music in his head. It’s a high price, but this album repays every wounded moment in full.

There are, undoubtedly, many out there who, like Joseph back in 1973, remain ignorant of Phil Ochs and for whom, as the notes say, this will afford a nudge forward. That it also happens to be one of Joseph’s finest albums is an added bonus.

Landry’s fifth solo album is described as “reflections and thoughts on the collective hallucination that is America”…it’s a hugely accomplished and at times troubling album that has already earned its place in “Best of” year-end lists.

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.