Astrid Williamson – Into The Mountain: Album Review
Striking new music from Shetland shield maiden stamps a retro footprint in the future. Astrid Williamson gives us Into The Mountain.
"Well, what sort of music do you like, Seuras?" Ever since that question was first aired by his mother a decade or six back he has struggled with the answer. And struggles still now. Call him a folkie, a country dude, a bluesman and he'll be happy, but don't forget the whiff of jazz, electronica and more. Not so keen on the charts, mind.
Striking new music from Shetland shield maiden stamps a retro footprint in the future. Astrid Williamson gives us Into The Mountain.
Tex Mex desert delights from Dean Owens, the Man from Leith and his heavy friends from Calexico. A wee hauf, a hauf and a jalapeƱo.
Hillbilly gypsy blues with a ragged bluegrass charm from Old Salt.
Heal & Harrow – hypnotically ethereal mood music, haunting songs and spoken word, conjured up by the fear of witches.
Vintage blues with additional hues of gospel and jazz; come aboard this Massachusetts train for album number 11 from Misty Blues.
The underlooked early presence of Arrival, the UK’s premier vocal front line, later becoming the core of Kokomo.
Top notch chamber folk from Breabach singer and fiddle player, Megan Henderson, sets itself ahead of the pack.
Staring At Mountain – a delightful stripped back leap forward for Randolph’s Leap frontman Adam Ross.
Largely exquisite tribute/cover to Tony Rice’s Church Street Blues, his 1983 bluegrass masterclass from Punch Brothers.
Vibrant new music from Niteworks, Skye’s masters of Gaelictronica.
A consummate celebration of nature, a marriage of words, music and illustration, bringing back together an A team of performers to reprise the unrepriseable in Spell Songs II.
Jack O’Rourke is a hidden gem from Ireland, awaiting to capture your ears and imagination. Stellar songwriting with a voice to live for.
Haunting and spare, with a busy minimalism that beguiles, this indubitably lock-down project from Amy Duncan begs for attention.
Freedom To Roam presents a widescreen soundscape encompassing folk, world and classical atmospheres covers most bases.
Mec Yek present Taisa – Manic and maverick Roma ska-punk gypsy jazz from Belgium, without a violin in sight.