Albums

We’re not even halfway through the year but we’ve already seen a number of astonishingly high quality records from many quarters; even so, Murmurs stands head and shoulders against much of this extraordinarily stiff competition. By anybody’s standards it’s a top-notch album by three of our best musicians and, if there’s any justice in this world, will soon find its way into the collections of all self-respecting fans of folk …

For their sixth album, A Forest of Arms, the Great Lake Swimmers find their principal songwriter and lead voice, Tony Dekker, at his most potent. The album bristles with some of their strongest tunes and the most dynamic playing that the band have realised so far.

Theming an album around a book as intense as The Bell Jar was never going to be an easy task but to her credit, Kathryn Williams has brought great sensitivity and empathy to her writing of the nine songs on Hypoxia. The result is a fine collection of contemporary folk songs which can be enjoyed at face value but which, on deeper listening, reveal an intelligent and thoughtful reevaluation of …

The sheer exuberance of The Sweet Lowdown’s playing is infectious and when they combine in harmony the bar is sure raised. An eminently desirable album that will keep your CD machine well occupied and very likely locked on repeat play.

I’m with Her is Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins. Paul headed to London’s Union Chapel to catch them and got a double helping with a top support slot by Sussex born Samuel Ford and a surprise appearance from John Paul Jones.

Celebrating the band’s 30th anniversary, for their 28th album Howe Gelb has put together a sort of retrospective, revisiting not old songs, but rather the styles the band has embraced over the years. Its tripartite musical nature makes it an eclectic listen, a reminder of what a diverse, influential and inspired Howe Gelb really is.

As part of our ongoing coverage of Beyond The Marches / Dros y Ffin, Helen heads to Cecil Sharp House to catch the final performance featuring: Lucy Ward, David Gibb, Elan Rhys, Patrick Rimes, Georgia Ruth and Archie Churchill-Moss.

The latest offering from Telling the Bees sees them performing with an expanded line-up and what is a record full of constant, impressive surprises. Its striking cover art is once more the work of Rima Staines, whose eerie, timeless, pagan flourishes give some hint as to the musical content.

With a talent partly forged in Florida and fuelled by French cinema’s New Wave Robert Chaney’s Cracked Picture Frames marks the arrival of a notable new voice on the London music scene. The album is sharp, intelligent, thoughtful and moving, as Robert sings, “I got some simple words to say,” but he says them so well, you can’t fail to be mightily impressed.

Serene and subtle on the surface, with a deeper undercurrent running through – Rozi Plain’s aptly-titled third record, see’s her joined by a host of alt-folk familiars. The results are utterly spellbinding.

The stunningly direct, positive live feel of Robb Johnson & The Irregulars latest album commands maximum respect, not least for its driven, joyful spontaneity, and, when played at full volume especially, is fabulously resplendent in its punchy detail and all that glory.

With ‘Into the Well’ The Poozies have created another sparkling contemporary gem of an album. The band’s skilful arrangements and thrilling playing ensure that the their original pieces sit comfortably alongside carefully chosen covers and traditional high-energy Gaelic puirt-a-beul, jigs and reels.