FolkWorld #69 07/2019

CD Reviews

Talisk "beyond"
Own, 2019

www.talisk.co.uk

Artist Video

One of the more recent folk sensations of Scotland, the trio Talisk has already a number of prestigious awards under its belt, not least the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Award.
„Beyond“ certainly proves that their fame is justified, showcasing impressive, powerful instrumental arrangements. It is amazing what sound Mohsen Amini, Hayley Keenan and Graeme Armstrong manage to get out of just concertina, fiddle and guitar - at times it’s more akin to a full acoustic instrumental rock band. The basis of the music is clearly Celtic, yet the three musicians take the listener into all sorts of sound worlds - world music, rock and more.
Not only have they won awards, Talisk must be also extremely popular with other folk musicians - on the track „Farewell“, they gathered one of the largest backing chorus imaginable, of what feels like half of the current Celtic scene: The 50+ musicians singing include Breabach, the Young‘Uns, Ten Strings and a Goatskin, Elephant Sessions, Cuig and many many more. Given the talent gathered for this track, the resulting chorus is pretty understated!
Three exceptional musicians and composers presenting an exceptional album.
© Michael Moll


Grainne Brady "The Road across the hills"
Cailin Records 2018

www.grainnebradyfiddle.com

Artist Video

An album of Irish poetry of the turn of the 20th Century poet Patrick MacGill, with spoken word being embedded in a wonderful Celtic soundtrack of music by talented young fiddler and composer Grainne Brady. Irish musician Grainne has lived and worked for several years at the heart of the Scottish music scene – and she features also in the wonderful band Top Floor Waivers. The spoken word on the album is by Jack Houston. Whilst the music is beautiful and the concept and arrangements of the album are masterful, the spoken word means for me that I am not likely to regularly listen to this album.
© Michael Moll


Various Artists "Oran Bagraidh"
Knockengorroch, 2019

www.oranbagraidh.com

Artist Video

This recording is the result of a residency of musicians from the different nations of the British Isles, exploring its languages in ancient song. The title song is the only surviving example of the extinct dialect of Galloway Gaelic, and this song is a springboard to explore songs in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, Scots and English. With much ancient material as old as from the 7th to 12th century, and with the recording featuring ancient medieval instruments such as lyre and Northern triple pipes, there is a somewhat academic flair to the music. The album features from Scotland Josie Duncan and Rody Gorman, Welsh Gwyneth Glyn and duo Bragod, from Ireland Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhride, Conor Caldwell and Lorcan Mac Mathuna, as well as ancient instrumentalist Barnaby Brown and poet MacGillivray. Certainly an interesting recording full of depth. 
© Michael Moll


Gone Molly "Gone Molly"
Own label, 2017

www.gonemolly.com

Artist Video

From Australia hails this recommendable and distinctive Celtic contemporary folk trio. What stands out in the sound of Gone Molly is the wonderfully earthy sound of the inventively cello played by Rebecca Wright, which dominates the sound of the songs.  The songs are, with one traditional exception, all written by singer/songwriter Sally Harris, with traditional and mythological themes and a Celtic influenced songwriting style. The trio is completed on the album by guitarist Jem Dunlop. The music has a lovely sound with strong new song material, and I just love the cello sound.
© Michael Moll


Diane Ni Chanainn "Idir Muir Agus Sliabh"
Clo Iar Chonnacht, 2018

German CD Review

Article: The Child Ballads

A new young Gaelic voice on the Irish folk scene, Diane presents with her debut an impressive album of traditional Irish songs mostly in Gaelic language. The Donegal singer has a pleasant light lilting voice, and her style, along with great arrangements, make her songs very accessible also to non- Gaelic audiences. The arrangements are traditional but with an appealing new and contemporary touch. This is perhaps no surprise given the stellar cast of musicians supporting Diane: produced and arranged by one of the Irish folk heroes, Manus Lunny (also playing on the album guitar, bouzouki and programming), the album features three Capercaillie’s - Donald Shaw on piano, the brilliant Michael McGoldrick on flute, pipes and whistles and fiddler Charlie McKerron - as well as cellist Neil Martin and on one track Altan’a Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh. An essential addition to any collection of Gaelic Irish song albums.
© Michael Moll


Yr Hwntws "Y Tribanwr"
Sain, 2018

www.yrhwntws.cymru

The vowel-less name of this band clearly points to Wales. Yr Hwntws are one of the long standing bands of the Welsh scene, founded by the band‘s mastermind and singer Gregg Lynn. The album is focussed on traditional songs from Glamorgan and Gwent, mostly in an ancient local dialect and in a unique local poetic form called „Triban Morgannwg“ - apparently originally sung by ox drivers as a way of motivating oxen while ploughing. With a clear focus on singing, the music often has an archaic feel to it, although the arrangements are in a folk band setting featuring guitar, fiddle, tabor/ percussion, fiddle, flute, mandocello and double bass. 
© Michael Moll


Ar Log "VII"
Sain, 2018

Ar Log are for Wales perhaps what the Chieftains are for Irish music. Celebrating with this album their 42nd anniversary of their formation, Ar Log was the first professional group to bring Welsh folk music to international stages. The music firmly Welsh traditional, yet (in part due to the instrumentation) it has a pleasant classical and orchestral flair. The band features two harpist (triple harp and knee harp/Clarsach) as well as guitars, fiddle and piano/harmonium. The current line-up features amongst its 7 musicians all four original founding members. Apparently, VII is Ar Log’s 11th album, 42 years after “I” was released in 1978 - don’t ask me what happened to the four “missing” names as this album logically would be “XI”. What is notable though is that “VII” is their first album in 22 years, which is quite an achievement and will have made this one of the longest waits for a follow up album - yet it has been worth the wait.
© Michael Moll


Vicky Swan & Johnny Dyer "Twelve months and a day"
Wet Foot Music, 2019

www.swan-Dyer.co.uk

A varied and highly appealing album by wonderful English folk duo Vicky Swan and Johnny Dyer. Most of the material is written and composed by the duo: traditional style songs and tunes with distinctive Nordic flair. The album also features two poems - by Fitz-James O‘Brien and William Morris - in a song setting.
The most outstanding feature instrumentally is the beautiful majestic sound of the nyckelharpas played by Vicky, giving the music a wonderful touch of Sweden. This does not mean in any way that the other instruments and arrangements are not equally classy - Vicky‘s flute playing, and Johnny‘s guitar, Bouzouki, piano. And not forgetting the other instrumental rabbits the duo pull out of their hats - in particular the ancient instruments Siena harpa (from 1408), citole (from 1300), carnyx and Cornu (300 BC) heard on two songs from the 13th century. This pretty unique music alongside the expressive songs make this album a rare treat that is highly recommended.
© Michael Moll


Eamon Friel "Atlantic Light"
Thran Records, 2019

www.pattynanmedia.com

Irish Folk Songwriter Eamon Friel takes the listener on an intimate trip down memory lane. Several of the songs reminisce personal memories, and no matter if you had sat with your school friends around a guitar or have never worked as a student in a Chinese takeaway, the material has the ability to revoke memories of the listeners‘ past. Other songs paint pictures of Ireland - the scenery and its people. A warm and beautifully presented album, fully focussed on the songs yet featuring guest appearances on guitars, accordion, percussion, whistle and occasionally sax,bass, fiddle or uilleann pipes.
© Michael Moll


Insch "Daffy‘s trip"
Own label, 2017

www.inschband.com

The passion of this French trio from Britanny clearly lies with Scottish and Irish music - and boy they know how to play it! In a highly effective and attractive combination of piano, fiddle, small and uilleann pipes and whistles, the interplaying between the three musicians is very tight and full of energy. The repertoire includes traditional and contemporary tunes mostly from Scotland or Ireland, as well as a couple of songs beautifully presented by the trio’s fiddler and singer Soazig Hamelin: „Charlie o Charlie“ and the Gaelic „Gaol ise gaol i“.
© Michael Moll


Floyds Row „The Oxford Sessions“
Centaur Records, 2017

www.floydsrow.com

Artist Video

An album that explores the connections between classical and traditional English folk. It does so by also adding a dose of jazz, world and Americana. The result is a sophisticated yet accessible album which proves that Northumbrian pipes and concertina naturally work even in a more classical music context. The trio brings together Andrew Arceci on violin/viola da gamba and double bass, Chris Ferebee on guitar, mandolin, cittern and lyre, and Alistair Anderson on English concertina and Northumbrian pipes. The album features guest appearances of singers Hannah James and Joshua Copeland, and Becky Rea on flute and whistle and James Percival on Harmonium. The material is self-penned, plus classical pieces from Purcell and Solomon Eckles and a couple of traditional tunes. An exciting album that pushes boundaries, with a blend of styles that works surprisingly well.
© Michael Moll


David Munnelly "Aonair"
Appel Rekords, 2018

www.davidmunnelly.com

Artist Video

David Munnelly is one of the most gifted and creative accordionists on the European folk scene. While he comes from a very traditional Irish music background, David, now based in Holland, has spent years of experimenting to find his own style. “Aonair” is Irish for lone or solitary, and this is the theme for the album - solo accordion playing to fully showcase the rich fount of ideas of this musician. There is an extra dimension to the accordion playing through acoustic sound effects, clapping or ambient sounds. Only one track features a guest musician – on „Someone“ David is joined by carillonneur Malgosia Fiebig (yes I had to look this word up on Google too - carillonneur is a church bell player).
© Michael Moll


Poppy Seeds "Ties and tunes"
Own label, 2018

www.poppyseeds.fr

Artist Video

Wonderful Irish traditional music, skilfully played by four French musicians from Brittany with an obvious passion for Irish music. On violin, flutes, guitar and mandolin/banjo/guitar, the quartet play lively sets of jigs and reels that have this certain something which makes the music exciting and real. The three songs on the album are contributed by guesting Irish singer Jamie McMenemy, and there are also guests on accordion and bodhran. Immediately convincing. 
© Michael Moll


Alexander McCall Smith & James Ross "These Are the hands"
Greentrax, 2019

Artist Video

This has to be a winning combination - one of Scotland’s most popular authors (best known for the wonderful No. 1 Ladies Detectives Agency series) has teamed up for this project with Scotland’s most gifted folk pianist and talented composer James Ross. Alexander McCall Smith has written the poetry for this album, celebrating the Scottish people and their achievements, in particular as a seafaring and boatbuilding nation. The poems cover the early crossings of the Saints and  the Vikings, up to the great boats built on the Glasgow shipyards and the Marine during the Second World War. Additionally, there are a few songs about the relationships of the Scots with their land, particularly in mining. James Ross has put the poetry to beautiful music in a traditional Scottish idiom. The resulting songs are performed by singers Kathleen MacInnes and Michelle Burke, the latter of Cherish the Ladies fame. AlexanderMcCall Smith can be heard in short sections of spoken word. The album features, in addition to James Ross on piano, a superb set of session musicians: Su-a-Lee (cello, musical saw), Patsy Reid (fiddle, viola), Leo Forde (guitar), Angus Lyon (accordion), Ryan Quigley(trumpet), Euan Burton (double bass), Liam Bradley (percussion), Mikey Owers(brass), Ryan Young (fiddle) and John Kenny (trombone). An album which should quickly become a classic of contemporary Scottish folk.
© Michael Moll


Coriandre "Camin d‘Estelas"
Own label, 2018

www.coriandre.info

Artist Video

This band from the French Languedoc-Rousillon region is all about folk rock in the Occitan language. Having been around for 16 years, the band successfully brings a modern twist to Occitan traditions. While the promotional copy of the CD does not provide any sleeve notes, the website shows that the band is made up of five gentlemen playing hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, oboe, flutes, sax, bouzouki, guitars, bass, percussion and drums. The singing sounds at times theatrical, but is relaxed and appealing. The folk-rock style makes the songs accessible and attractive to international audiences. Sometimes the band does make quite a racket yet even then there is an appeal to the music. The album suggests that Coriandre must equally be a great live act.
© Michael Moll


Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith "Many a thousand"
Own label, 2018

www.jimmyandsidduo.com/

One of the leading new duos of English folk song, Jimmy and Sid follow their two previous celebrated albums with another very convincing collection of songs. The songs have a traditional English feel, and four are indeed traditional, yet while the four songs penned by the duo sound traditional, they have contemporary themes: London commuters, the rise of nationalism in England or a colliery making space for Sports Direct Warehouses. The remaining songs are written by contemporary songwriters. The duo features strikingly effective harmony singing, as well as banjo, guitar, concertina playing. Guest musicians Tom Moore (violin), Twm Dylan (double bass) and Fred Harper (drums) feature on some of the songs, as well as on the final song the singing of some Norfolk birds!
© Michael Moll


Katie Doherty & The Navigators "And Then"
Steeplejack Music, 2018

www.katiedoherty.co.uk

Artist Video

After a long, long break, classy contemporary English singer/songwriter Katie Doherty has now released her second album – a full 12 years after the release of her debut solo album. In the time inbetween, the artist was busy as composer for productions of the Northern Stage as well as the musical director for a production of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
„And then“ has many different facets - moving stylistically between English and Celtic folk, acoustic pop, Americana – but as a whole, the lyrical songs are certainly contemporary folk. Katie‘s trio features Shona Mooney on fiddle and Dave Gray on melodeon, plus Katie on piano. This album has all the ingredients of success across the folk scene and beyond.
© Michael Moll


Teija Niku "Memento"
Own label, 2017

www.teijaniku.com

On the folk/world music scene, Finnish musicians are known often to be musically free spirited and innovative. Accordionist Teija Niku is one of those musicians. Her compositions successfully blend Finnish traditions with jazz and world music. The guest musicians on the album further emphasise this blend, with brass instruments - sax, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn -, guitar, double bass, violins and piano. The album also presents three attractive songs with Finnish lyrics, one traditional, one a Macedonian melody with Finnish traditional lyrics and one written by Teija Niku in the contemporary Finnish folk style we have heard quite frequently from all those famous Finnish folk acts in recent years.
Lovely reflective music, ideal as an atmospheric soundtrack for a quiet night in. Memento means “something that is kept as a reminder of a person, place or thing”, and perhaps this music can act as just such a reminder.
© Michael Moll


Danças Ocultas "dentro desse mar"
Galileo, 2019

Artist Video

Four men playing the accordion - on paper this may sound a bit dull but this Portuguese quartet proves differently. Danças Ocultas creates an exciting harmonic and varied sound on their four diatonic accordions. The tracks on the band’s latest album are all own compositions. Three contemporary folk / world songs in Portuguese feature outstanding guest singers: Carminho, Zelia Duncan and Dora Morelenbaum. Further guests contribute cello, percussion, guitar, clarinet or piano on some tracks. The instrumental music sometimes reminds of beautiful film scores. A gentle harmonic album to fall in love with.
© Michael Moll


Markku Lepistö & Mikko Helenius „Bellows and pipes“
Rapusaari Records 2019

www.markkulepisto.com

Artist Video

We have seen all sorts of weird and wonderful projects coming out of the Finnish folk scene over the years - here’s another of those interesting collaborations.
The album title suggested to me that this was an album of accordion and bagpipes - but how wrong I was: While Markku Lepistö is indeed a renowned Finnish folk accordionist, his duo partner Mikku Helenius plays a different kind of pipes: the organ! This is a rather beautiful album of these two instruments coming together, with an impressive majestic and harmonic sound. The album is centred around a new six part composition by Markku, aptly title „Suite for accordion and organ“, which is based on Finnish folk themes but also influenced by classical and jazz music. In addition to the suite there are a few traditional tunes and a composition by Mikko. Recorded at Käpylä Church in Helsinki, the acoustics are wonderful and bring out the very best of this unusual combination of instruments.
© Michael Moll


Malinky "Handsel" [Double CD]
Greentrax, 2019

www.malinky.com

Article: Malinky

When Malinky first appeared on the Scottish folk scene 20 years ago, they soon became a bit of a folk sensation: a young band fully focussed on presenting traditional Scots songs at highest quality. Now, two decades on, Malinky celebrate their anniversary with a very impressive album. The album looks a bit understated considering the treasure trove it is!
Malinky remains true to their original idea of celebrating traditional Scots songs. The band’s line-up has remained the same for the last 10 years - featuring Steve Byrne, Mark Dunlop, Fiona Hunter and Mike Vass. And for the new album, the band have invited an impressive array of six guest singers for a song each. To celebrate the generation of singers that inspired Malinky, the great singers Barbara Dymock, Hector Riddell and Len Graham feature, representing Lowland Scots, North-East Botha ballads and Ulster song traditions. Equally Malinky wanted to mentor on this album young singers who are the next generation of tradition bearers, thus the wonderful singing of Ellie Beaton, Cameron Nixon and Daibhidh Stiubhard can be heard on the album. This makes the album varied and exciting, a real celebration of Scottish and Ulster song tradition.
This album alone would be a “must-buy” – but in addition to this treasure of an album, and hardly noticeable from the CD packaging (other than a short mention on the back of the CD sleeves), there is a second album hidden away in the cardboard CD case. This second album is a retrospective of Malinky‘s 20 years on the road, with a number of songs also featuring the original band member Karine Polwart. This bonus album is a worthy addition to the CD collection of new and old Malinky fans: As of the 14 songs, six are previously unreleased live recordings, and two come from unpublished demo recordings. Many bands would have released this bonus album as a separate full price release, and it tells you a lot that Malinky decided to include this album just as a bonus with the new recording, for the price of a single CD.
If you are into Scots song traditions and just want to buy one album this year, this is the definite one to go for!
© Michael Moll


Yann-Fañch Kemener "Roudennou / Traces" [Double CD]
Bude Musique, 2019

www.kemener.com

RIP

This is the final recording of one of the greatest artists of Breton Folk Music, as sadly, Yann-Fañch Kemener passed away in March 2019 from cancer, aged 61. What he has left behind with this latest album feels like a real tribute of the rich legacy the singer leaves behind.
“Roudennou / Traces” is a double CD dedicated to Breton poetry. The album brings together thirtyone poems and songs; the album is roughly equally split between spoken word and song. The majority of the tracks is in Breton language, yet a fair amount are in French too.
The instrumentation throughout the album is subtle yet highly effective to supplement the calm and beauty of the voice of Yann-Fañch Kemener. The wonderful musicians featured are Erwann Tobie on accordion, Heikki Bourgault on guitar, Anne Auffret on harp and Aldo Ripoche on cello, plus singers Eric Menneteau and Achille Grimaud.
Even if you do not understand the language (and unfortunately the booklet only provide French/Breton lyrics, without English translations), you will appreciate the simple beauty and serenity of the album. A wonderful final masterpiece of this important Breton folk music legend.
© Michael Moll



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