Albums

It’s a delight to see an artist revel in live performance. Laughs and angst; traditional and modern; children’s games and cake – this is how you launch an album. Splendid.

For the final part of her live review of Orkney Folk Festival 2015 Alice took in some great performances from Claire Hastings, Hannah Rarity, Nordic Fiddlers Bloc, New Rope String Band, Dallahan and more. Not forgetting the Orkney v’s the Rest of the World’ folkie-football match.

In the Tribute to William Hannah, Luke Daniels – best known for his Irish melodeon playing – channels energies in a different direction; exploring the overlooked legacy of William Hannah, a celebrated melodeon player and band leader of the 1920’s.

When Ross Cockburn met Jay Brown something clicked and Dark Green Tree was the happy result. Adding the voice of Cera Impala to the dream-pop-Americana of Secret Lives proves a further stroke of genius. A record that fulfils a dream and sets in motion whole new flights of fantasy and imagination of its own, wrapped up in a set of blissful tunes and honeyed harmony.

For three days, Bristol’s Colston Hall was transformed into a place called Lau-Land. Traditional music mixed with the avant-garde and the genre-defying to create an all-round remarkable experience. But what else would you expect from a weekend curated by such an innovative, creative band such as Lau?

In lesser hands (and voice) there is a danger that such content matter and music could come across as fey or twee, but Kate Doubleday is as rooted in the earth  as she is in the spiritual and the result is an album to make your heart and soul flutter.

With this album, The Jeremiah’s have shown an abundance of skill, producing both songs and tunes of high quality. The even better news is that all the signs lead us to expect a lot more from them in the future. They’ll be on a short tour of the UK at the end of June and if you’re lucky enough to be around, you’d be wise to give them a listen.

The Wooden House places Holly Lerski’s songwriting at the centre and it’s this focus which is the album’s real strength. To be able to look beyond the surfaces of everyday concerns and find new insights may seem a small thing, but it’s a rare skill which should get a big thumbs-up from anyone with a penchant for a finely-turned phrase, something which Holly Lerski has in abundance.

Looking for a new sound to match his visions of England Wes Finch had a notion Gerry Diver might steer him there and the wonderful, wildly creative Awena proves him right. If a record could be a page turner then this is it.

What Kind of Love is the latest offering from Danny Wilson and the boys which finds them in a brassy, Caledonian soul mood that will leave you with a warm glow on the inside.

In part 2 of our Orkney Folk Festival review we kick off on the Friday with headliners Tim Edey and Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys leading into Saturday with the showcase of Mike Vass’ ‘In the Wake of Neil Gunn’ as well as Sharon Shannon, Seth Lakeman, Fara, Gnoss and more.

For a record steeped so long in the history of mountain music, Anna And Elizabeth is unexpectedly and endlessly varied. This is a rare album that is as intimate as it is ambitious and as idiosyncratic as it is reverential.