Albums

Shirley Inspired is nothing less than a vitally important set, very likely the most important one you’ll consider buying this year. And the best possible tribute to a remarkable, and highly inspirational and influential, lady.

Darrell Scott takes a step back from song-writing with a haunting compilation of songs written by the late Ben Bullington. Ten embraces the simplicity of a man, his guitar and the songs and stories of a friend.

Simi Stone is the homecoming queen and the daydream believer as feeling the magnetic pull of Woodstock she’s teamed up with a fantastic band and made a great record. Here she tells us all about her Moutain Motown sound.

My Darling Clementine team up with Solihull-born crime and mystery novelist Mark Billingham for ‘The Other Half’ – a new original story by Billingham, inspired by and woven around songs from the duo. It’s set in a rundown Memphis bar, not far from Sun Studios, where Marcia, a former Las Vegas showgirl, alone and estranged from her daughter, works double shifts to keep her head above water.

Siobhan Wilson’s Say It’s True was recorded in Glasgow with the help of some very talented friends and offers a collection of hopes and sorrows, dressed in some of the finest tunes you could wish for. You could say it’s truly beautiful.

The Faster it Goes is the second album from the quintet The Railsplitters of Boulder, Colorado. They write collaboratively. They all sing. The result is tremendous. An album that invites no excuse should it miss your end-of-year best of lists. Here’s to ignoring the road signs.

On Burn The Plan, the Good lovelies fourth studio album, they’ve broadened their horizons to take in a touch of electronics. Whilst this could have seen everything go up in smoke it instead looks like a definite blaze of glory.

In part one of our live review of Gate to Southwell Festival Johnny takes in top performances from Ranagri, The Hot Seats, Chris Wood, Billy Bragg & The Young’uns. It was, without a doubt, a superb festival and we have more to come!

By moving to New Orleans, Rickie Lee Jones has reignited her creative spark. The Other Side Of Desire is her first new original album since 2009, tapping into the rhythmic heartbeat and mystical, musical spirit of the Crescent City.

With sights firmly set on preserving songs of their respective native traditions, Malinky have struck a perfect balance in retaining authenticity whilst remaining innovative and fresh in their approach to arrangement. Far Better Days is an album of timeless quality that will call you back time and time again.

Maid on the Shore is an impressively accomplished display of Niamh Boadle’s skills as a musician, writer, singer and arranger and makes the ideal starting point for anyone interested in finding out why she’s one of folk music’s rising stars.

A request for an old song led Boo Hewerdine to uncover a full album’s worth of material, which his label deemed simply too good not to be heard and Open shows the wisdom of that call. Yet another unassuming masterpiece that quietly slips alongside everything Boo has done with its indelible stamp of quality.