Daoirí Farrell, our Artist of the Month, returns this month with his third solo album, A Lifetime of Happiness. The songs are delivered with infinite care and deep affection; it is a wonderful album that delights on every level.
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.
As well as offering an insight into his new album Constant Companion, Cunning Folk talks to us about his influences, traditional music and more…‘Traditional music is living history. I’m joining in.’
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.
It is rare for an album of predominantly traditional material to sound as fresh and inspired as this, and feel both thrillingly contemporary and utterly timeless. Cunning Folk is making some of the finest acoustic music to come out of this country in years.
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.
As she embarked on a trip to New Zealand for the inaugural New Zealand Irish Fest this month, Lisa O’Neill took time to talk to Folk Radio about her new album, the background, the influences behind it, and the artists that joined her on the journey.
