Reviews

Reading Iain Matthews’ biography not so long back struck me that here was perhaps the most prodigious member of the Fairport family and that he was also the most stylistically diverse. His latter revival of the Southern Comfort name has created a tidal acoustic/electric wash which manages to marry his American inclinations with a folksy… Read more »

What’s all this about? Thick Scandinavian forests, the icy wilderness, deep snow… The Choir Of Ghosts is, as you’ve probably figured out from the name alone, an alter ego for strummer/singer James Auger who’s based in Sweden and writes songs of personal sorrows, joys and just plain growing up in today’s difficult world. He’s particularly… Read more »

Decently quirky, from her raised eyebrows on the cover you’d guess Gena Rose Bruce is a mistress of moods, attitude and experiences, from the music you wouldn’t be that far off. ‘Can’t Make You Love Me,’ is a dose of life lived and love gone off kilter, much of it’s personal. Vocally she switches between… Read more »

The picture of bucolic arcadia which adorns the cover here could lead you to believe that Pete Morton sees the present as some sort of Utopia, nothing however could be further from the truth. Although he’s always told everyone he’s foremost a singer, which is something you can’t really disagree with, Morton’s is more than… Read more »

New kids on the block? Not quite, three albums in Trad Attack! make their move and it’s a bold, striking one. How’d you reinvent your tradition for the here and now? If you’re Estonian then perhaps there haven’t been many reference points, sure they’ve got folk metal or should that be thrash folk, but then… Read more »

With a viral pandemic making for darker times; more than ever, we need some sunny music entering the 2020 frame. Coming to our rescue are Mapache with their second album, ‘From Liberty Street’. It’s their first for the Yep Roc label who were quick to pick up on them after the release of their lavishly… Read more »

Most well-travelled musicians get limited time to linger as they go from gig to gig. Whilst a tour itinerary may look appealing to the casual observer, there’s little time to absorb the character or characters of the locations en route. With this in mind, fiddler Tom Kitching set about a journey that had him busking… Read more »

Curated in Edwyn Collins studio, which for those who didn’t know is at Helmsdale way up on Scotland’s north east coast, just off the A9. The former leader of Orange Juice retreated from the hubbub and relocated there to find peace of mind. Project SMOK with avowed intent to marry Celtic trad with pop inclinations… Read more »

The common link here is the excellent Jo Freya, membership of both bands, one rather scholarly, the other downright fun. Scholarly first… Moirai, three great ladies, the afore mentioned Jo Freya, Derby fiddler Sarah Matthews and from ceilidh rockers All Blacked Up, Melanie Briggs. Fascinated by the tale of Alice Wheeldon and her family, strong,… Read more »

Next! Welcome to our review round up of other releases received and duly considered, April 2020. Send My Soul – Lorraine Jordan. Reminded me of Julie Matthews in some ways, Sally Barker in others. ‘Send My Soul,’ has a Celtic edge thanks to the likes of Stefan Hannigan with low whistle on ‘Heavenly Voices,’ though… Read more »