Albums

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.

With Not One but Another Andy Kirkham has crafted a collection of consistently dazzling, exemplary playing alongside lyrics that are as thought-provoking as they are moving. This is a beautifully played, eclectic album that grows with the repeated listens that it deserves.

A neatly timed appetite-whetting release in decent advance of a very brief UK tour comes this latest collaboration between the two country legends who’ve been good pals now for close on 40 years.

The Bournemouth EP is the latest offering from the fresh-faced, mountain-air voiced Norwich singer-songwriter Jess Morgan, one which proves yet again what a dazzling talent she is.

For her latest project Juno winner Keri Latimer has teamed up with husband Devin Latimer as Leaf Rapids, named after a town in north west Manitoba. Lucky Star is a countrified flavoured album with a pleasing breadth of variety to please the ear.

Black Feather Wooden Chair is both gentle and bright, built on a solid bed-rock of talent. One that wraps and envelopes the listener into the quirky world of Salwa Azar, from start to finish it leaves you wanting more.