Albums

The Golden Angle is an admirable work with great potential, and David Benedict has truly proven himself among leaders of a generation of musicians guiding bluegrass into new pastures.

This is an impressive album, blending the traditional folk of artists like Denny, Jansch, and the Thompsons, with more contemporary sounds from alt-folk artists like Ryley Walker. We strongly recommend giving it a listen.

We were in Perth on Saturday, for the annual The MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards. It certainly has been another great year – as Hands up for Trad Creative Director Simon Thoumire said “There is so much vitality in the scene right now and it is only getting stronger. Roll on 2019.”

Sebastian and Natalie Bryce are two very talented people. The care they have exercised in producing this album is very evident: it is no wonder that they have caught the ear of BBC R6 and others. It is an exceptional album.

Chris Wood is one of the few song writers on the circuit today who can artfully present the lives and situations of the world around us. And do it so beautifully. He does indeed give us the medicine we need to carry on to the next day.

A compelling collaboration between Mercury-prize-nominated folk singer/song collector/broadcaster Sam Lee and pioneering, free-thinking composer/conductor/bandleader Peter Wiegold.

There is a weight of history and a longing for a better world on The Young’uns’ The Ballad Of Johnny Longstaff – it contains the past and it contains the future. It is a special achievement by an extremely talented group.

All Is Quiet At The Ancient Theatre has a sense of stillness and ancientry that is both powerful and all-embracing. This is eternal, irresistible and stimulating music that provides ever-increasing reward on successive replay.

With support from Jim Ghedi & Toby Hay, Vashti Bunyan works her magic before a quiet and reverential audience at Leeds Brudenell Social Club. An unforgettable evening.

It is rare for an album of predominantly traditional material to sound as fresh and inspired as this, and feel both thrillingly contemporary and utterly timeless. Cunning Folk is making some of the finest acoustic music to come out of this country in years.

If you are simply hankering for timeless folk, splendidly played and sung, that sounds ancient as days, but as fresh as a daisy, look no further. It’s the most important, the most beautiful, the most magical… saggy old soundtrack in the whole wide world.

This solo debut album from Helen Diamond will no doubt find its way into the traditional music collections of archives all over the world but it also needs to be listened to for the sheer enjoyment of a remarkable voice.