Featured Albums of the Month

His delicious caressing of the lyrics reminds me of Mike Scott at his most incisive; I can also hear the soulfulness of Ray LaMontagne at times too. Sean Taylor has recorded an album on a par with the strongest work by either of those high-ranking acts and has also written one of the premier topical song albums of our time.

The Gloaming 3, sees the band take the step into the unknown with an even wider exploration of the possibilities that music presents… a bold, beguiling, magnificent album.

Jonathan Day’s Spirit Library is the work of an artist who, whether through the experience of travel or through deep contemplation of his surroundings, has come to terms with his place in the world, and it is utterly beautiful.

This is music in evolution. Melody, poetry, emotion and memory weave in and out like stories. Midnight And Closedown is the next chapter in Lau’s fascinating story. As ever from Lau, it’s a unique and exceptional album.

It is no overstatement to say that Contradicshun is a masterpiece of shared creativity, the fullest flowering of a partnership that has been nurtured for fifteen years. It is Megson’s most complete album and their best to date.

Those Who Roam is a shining example of the enduring appeal of traditional songs, and of Claire Hastings’s exceptional talent for delivering them. Inge Thomson’s production delivers an inventive finish, and, of course, Claire’s clear and inviting vocal shines throughout.

This release will delight existing fans, and bring her music to an even wider audience. If you thought you’d heard the best of Iona Fyfe, think again; there’s every indication that Dark Turn of Mind begins a new, captivating chapter.

The Outside Track weave wonderful music that entertains, fascinates and rewards. Rise Up is a magnificent album that puts them firmly back in the spotlight, as one of the most accomplished bands on the international folk scene.

Supported by the likes of Eliza Carthy, Martin Simpson & Sam Carter, Steve Turner returns with his eighth solo album ‘Late Cut’. This is music that exists in a timeless realm, as is the case with all great music recorded with love, mastery and sincerity. An album of immense distinction.

There is a weight of history and a longing for a better world on The Young’uns’ The Ballad Of Johnny Longstaff – it contains the past and it contains the future. It is a special achievement by an extremely talented group.

Reg Meuross has achieved something rare and important: he has reanimated a valuable piece of history, and he has done so with great sincerity and emotional depth.

‘Anthems to the Wind’ is a strong and irresistible album that finds Merry Hell on top form – at that brilliant moment in a band’s evolution where everyone’s on the same wavelength and the ideas are just tumbling out.