Albums

Tom Blackwell hails from the North of England, after a series of demo releases Tyrone The Gun is his debut proper and, according to Mike, it’s easily one of the best things he’s heard all year.

The Crooked Brothers latest offering, Thank You I’m Sorry, is all the richer for the diverse sound and styles they bring to the fore, both collectively and individually. You can’t pin these guys down.

Man is Made is the second album from Michael Edgar and seems a natural and welcome progression from his debut release ‘Shine’. Michael has his own voice, and it’s a very appealing one. He has his own stories to tell; and on Man Is Made, they’re well worth listening to.

On The Resonant Rogues latest album there is plenty to appeal taking in influences from gypsy jazz, klezmer and Balkan music alongside old-time American folk and blues. All this whilst maintaining a core band identity, it bodes well for a very promising future. 

FY5 – the current handle for the band who were previously known as Finnders & Youngberg release ‘Eat the Moon’, a fine finger picking album.

Alex Seel’s Other Paths EP is a hugely impressive musical calling card, with each of its five songs showcasing a different side of this multi-talented musician’s skills. His ear for harmonies and his subtlety as a lyricist are revelatory and it’s to be hoped that a full-length album follows before too long.

Following an accident in January 2014, Tom Moriarty returns to the scene with his new album ‘The Road’. If there’s any justice, this album will see him picking up plenty of new fans.

Alice takes us through her highlights of Day 2 at Hebcelt Festival 2015 from morning till sunrise! Taking in Siiga, Le Vent du Nord, Sorren MacLean, Raghu Dixit, Halcyon and Idlewild.

After all the stirring, but crafted angst and anthemic defiance that has gone before, this latest release from Frank Turner is as raw and as naked as they come and a reminder of the heart behind the PR image.

We head to the Outer Hebrides for Hebcelt Festival and in the first of a three part festival review Alice takes us through her festival highlights. Thursday includes Niteworks and Salsa Celtica.

Solid song writing and one of this year’s finest vocal performances have combined with Steven Polwart’s engaging arrangements and Mattie Foulds’ atmospheric production to create an album that showcases Mairi Orr’s vibrant love of acoustic music, story-telling gift and ability as a performer.

The Ties that Bind finds Mawkin at their brilliantly inventive best, displaying plenty of the uninhibited energy that they have become known for. They produce a full sound that might usually be associated with larger ensembles – and it sounds like they are having a lot of fun too!