Albums

I have believed for a long time that there is magic contained in forms of improvised music that cannot be found in others and this album by Cormac Byrne and Adam Summerhayes certainly backs that theory. Their Stone Soup project is the best thing I have heard so far this year.

Wherever you find yourself on the way “From A to B,” The Diamond Family Archive offers you a mind-bending soundtrack en route. The sonorous landscapes in the album are unmistakably British and peculiarly beautiful.

The Melted Morning is Danni Nicholls’ follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2017 sophomore release Mockingbird Lane. It ends on a track that warrants country classic status and a queue of artists looking to cover it. Her best yet.

Sincere and effective songwriting doesn’t always come together. Jefferson Hamer does an outstanding job on Alameda, carving out his own niche in the current folk arena while paying tribute to the masters.

Innes Watson’s highly anticipated debut solo album ‘Guitar Colloquium’ speaks volumes and is full of emotion. It is the complete antithesis of self-indulgent.

Jonathan Seale was born in Texas and raised in the jungles of South America where he was dubbed Son of Cloud by the Yukpa, providing a springboard for a debut solo album that delves into the notion of family tribes, both inherited and created.

Restitute came out of necessity and a feeling of personal responsibility towards her friends. Here is a collection of diverse songs that clearly mean a lot to her …a singer at the height of her power.

On their latest EP, English folk trio Faustus tackle the Lancashire Cotton Famine which brought great hardship, unemployment and hunger among working people. They bring the ghosts of the past to life in their own unique way.

Ida Wenøe tells her audience to look inside and realise that what you have may be worth more than what you’re chasing, to find the patience to be in and enjoy the moment instead of always seeking for the next one. Take a breath, soak it in and be touched by its magic.

The Wild Willing is born from a desire to collaborate, to open new doors, connect with people from all ends of the earth…something infinitely precious. This is Glen Hansards best complete work by a country mile and one of the finest albums to ever come out of Ireland.

‘Lunar Vortex Incantations’ is unapologetically pagan in its motifs, but in referring to such innate, almost prehistoric versions of wonder, Burnt Paw does indeed generate a sense of mystic awe.

Embarking on a new career at 69, Larry Sloman aka Ratso is front and centre in the flesh. It’s well deserved and supported by a cast including Nick Cave and more.