Albums

Karl Culley’s ‘Last!’ is a double album and an acoustic affair, his complex but melodic guitar playing keeps the music rich and a suitable complement to his rather humble but enriching vocals and honest songwriting.

Chasing Ghosts is Philip Marino’s best yet, a 10-track collection of predominantly acoustic-based Americana that harks to such influences as John Mellencamp, Dylan, Cat Stevens and Neil Young. Seek him out. 

Featuring Christian Sedelmyer and Rachel Baiman, 10 String Symphony’s latest album finds them pushing the musical boundaries of their instrumentation with Kris Drever on production.

With Rooftop Sessions Dreamers’ Circus celebrate more than the colour and vibrancy of Scandinavian music, they celebrate the ability it has to drive inspiration and innovation, and place themselves firmly in the vanguard of that movement.

The opportunity presented here to experience the stripped back songs in all of their raw glory is an aural delight. This collection proves that less can indeed sometimes be more, and with Distant Days, Steve Tilston, one of our most revered songsmiths, has confirmed his reputation as a jewel in the folk and acoustic-world crown.

Securing a  wider platform following its American release last year, Will Stewart’s solo debut offers up a solid set of classic styled guitar-driven country rock. A county seat is an administrative centre from which legislation for the region is handed down. Checking out this album should be a matter of policy.

When All Is Still may be an album with its roots in tradition, but it has a freshness that makes these old songs seem wonderfully new. It is one of the best collections of traditional songs you’ll hear all year. Read our review and watch the video premiere of Ploughman Lads.

While initially combining their existing influences was the start for We Banjo 3, Haven tells us the journey is far from over as celtgrass spreads its boundaries, showing it can assimilate what it finds while remaining true to its roots.

The Joy of Living is the seventh studio album from Jackie Oates, also our Artist of the Month for August. It is her most personal yet, covering an intensely personal period of her life in which she celebrated the birth of her daughter Rosie and bid an emotional and loving farewell to her beloved father.

Even more so than its predecessor, Shelter is a series of teasingly enigmatic meditations leaving a distinct feeling that for all Olivia’s emotional candour there’s a persistent – albeit attractive – unknowability giving an added depth to her increasingly masterful songwriting.

Dave McNally reviews the latest offering from top-flight Irish traditional band Lúnasa who are currently touring with Natalie Merchant. Along the way, band member Ed Boyd fills in some background about the album which features Natalie along with Tim O’Brien, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Eric Bibb. A fitting, celebratory, must-listen album.

Cornish folk-rock band Hanterhir re-enforce the notion that Cornwall has a ‘culture distinct from anywhere else in Britain’ by delivering a concept album based around the tale of Cadan, who tries to drown himself in a lake on Carn Marth, an ancient hill in West Cornwall.