The folking.com music archive for album reviews and news

This is a list of everything we have on folking.com in date and month order. So if you like trawling the depths of the site for amazing content that you may have missed then this is the place to “net” an article, feature or review or two.

The archive is a work in progress as we still have gaps to fill from 2009 back to 2001. Most of the missing content are older album reviews which require reformatting with each article having to be submitted back on to the site with album covers and links to where they can be obtained from (where available).

LISSA SCHNECKENBURGER – Song (Footprint Records FR2008)

I just knew I was going to love this album from the strains of the opening track “The Fair Maid By The Sea Shore” set ...
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CHERISH THE LADIES – A Star In The East (Big Mammy Records 0004)

Is it really that time of year? Well, it must be as Cherish The Ladies release another seasonal album. And what better way than a ...
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HUT PEOPLE – Home Is Where The Hut Is (Fellside Recordings FECD228)

Ah, that’s more like it something a little different from the ‘folk’ world. Paul Adams should be well chuffed with this recording on his tremendous ...
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KATE RUSBY – Sweet Bells (Pure Records PRCD33)

The distinctive, almost waif-like vocals of Kate Rusby opens this seasonal recording (now re-packaged using a suitably Christmas themed painting by Marie Mills) with a ...
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CHURCHFITTERS – Sing (Own Label CH969)

The Churchfitters (who appeared recently at Fairport’s Cropredy Festival) are nothing if not inventive and from the opening track “Knee Deep” with Chris Short’s intriguing ...
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BROOM BEZZUMS – Under The Rug (Seeplejack Music SJCD11)

Comparisons of Broom Bezzums (Andrew Cadie & Mark Bloomer) to Robin & Barry Dransfield may come thick and fast in the fickle world of ‘folk’ ...
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RICHARD LUMSDEN – Morris: A Life With Bells On (Dreamboat Records DRMBT014)

The legend that is “Morris: A Life With Bells On” continues apace with another extraordinary leap of faith and a labour of love on behalf ...
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POOZIES – Yellow Like Sunshine (Greentrax Records CDTRAX 342)

Opening with a standard ‘blues’ riff, you feel as if you’re into conventional music pigeon-holeing until that is the introduction of Camac harp that adds ...
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STEELEYE SPAN – Cogs, Wheels And Lovers (Park Records PRKCD106)

A welcome return to one of England’s finest folk-rock band’s bringing with them those glorious riffs that have become so much a part of their ...
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THE DOONANS – Dorking Folk Club 07.10.09

Gawd blimey guv’nor let’s dispense with the bankers of this world and give these lads (and lass) a rise. Playing to a packed club, The ...
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NANCY KERR, JAMES FAGAN & ROBERT HARBRON – Dorking Folk Club 14.10.09

Two weeks running…and a rare attendance from me at the same club within a month. Having said that, this is one of the nicest clubs ...
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ABBIE LATHE & THE LOVELIES – Stargazing (Curlew Records CD001)

I’ve been enraptured by the sounds of tight, close harmonies since I first saw Steeleye Span many years ago and there are plenty featured on ...
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BILLY MITCHELL & BOB FOX – Back On City Road (Own Label)

What is it about Billy Mitchell and Bob Fox that makes you wish everyone in the world were a Geordie? On the strength of this ...
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ALBION CHRISTMAS BAND – Snow On Snow (Talking Elephant Records TECD135)

I don’t know what it is about Christmas but it always brings out the best in me particularly the seasonal songs. It seems that I’m ...
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Alison Krauss Live From The Tracking Room (Rounder Records)

Perhaps it’s Alison’s beautiful smile beaming from the sleeve or the thoughts that inspire it that convey so much about this country gal done good ...
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The Eva Cassidy Story featuring Zoe Tyler – Churchill Theatre, Bromley 23.09.09

Over The Rainbow (The Eva Cassidy Story) Zoe Tyler’s stunning performance of “Fields Of Gold” on the BBC Breakfast show the other day was inspirational ...
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Shrewsbury Festival Review

Driving through Shrewsbury, you are acutely aware of the medieval heritage that surrounds and seduces you, with the ghosts of England's past seeming like the ...
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Fairport Convention Cropredy 2009 Festival Review

With the threat of hitting the big four O this year, it was time to try some new activities to try and prove to myself ...
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VARIOUS ARTISTS – Three Score & Ten (Topic Records)

What makes a good CD box-set great? When it comes as beautifully packaged as this 70th Anniversary Topic Records collection. The wow factor comes from ...
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Eric Bogle Live At Stonyfell Winery (Greentrax Recordings DVTRAX2022)

What better way than to celebrate his ‘retirement’ from performing in the UK than a DVD by singer-songwriter Eric Bogle. A visual record of Eric ...
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KIMBER’S MEN IN PORT Album Review by Pete Fyfe

Kimber’s Men are something a little extra special…a shanty crew that everyone can enjoy! Consisting Joe Stead, Neil Kimber, Dave Buckley, Gareth Scott and John ...
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Tom Napper & Tom Bliss – The Kelping

I had the utter delight of seeing this duo play at the Ho at Anchor, in Leigh-on-Sea and they wove magic for me that night ...
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Interview with Lindisfarne 17th April 2003

Here is another chance to have a listen to the 2003 Lindisfarne Interview that we was recorded at the Gosport and Fareham Easter Festival as part ...
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Celtus Reflections and Echoes

This was the place where Celtus fans shared their stories,  gigs they attended and the Celtus music they loved. It was also the place where ...
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Celtus Live 2000 (Evangeline GEL4020)

The fourth album from Celtus featuring all live tracks with 2 Bonus Tracks. A must have. Starting with Navigator at full belt in front of ...
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Celtus Rooted (Shamrock Records 001)

A traditional album, again different, but stunning in its own right. Irish Folk/Celtus at its best in a traditional form. Rooted brings out whistles, bouzoukis, reels ...
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Celtus Portrait (Sony 494710 2)

This is the second Celtus album from the incredible McManus Brothers. The opening track Two Worlds, is an up-tempo, love song then leads into Wide Awake, ...
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Show of Hands – No Song To Sing

Whatever else, you can't fault Show Of Hands. So, needless to say, this album comes recommended but, as it were in passing. There are now ...
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Cherish The Ladies – The Girls Won’t Leave The Boys Alone

Welcome back to the girls! Mind you, on listening to the opening track 'The Broom Of The Cowdenknowes' I thought I was listening to The ...
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Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley – Skyran

Instrumental albums are notoriously hard to carry off. So, you have to be extremely confident and ready to roll with the punches when bearing your ...
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Canterach – Canterach

Cor blimey! Scotland must count itself the session man's home from home. Another band featuring a few recognisable faces namely Ross Kennedy, Steve Lawrence, Iain ...
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Old Blind Dogs – Fit?

Opening with 'Is There For Honest Poverty' ('For A' That') it's nice to see the Dogs really getting to grips with their material perhaps not ...
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Kate Rusby – Little Lights

It's great to welcome back to the fold a bona fide British artist. In Kate Rusby, we have a treasure we need to grasp like ...
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The Easy Club – The Easy Club

Opening with the now familiar strains on single string note into the glorious title track this band was, in its day (1984 actually) to prove ...
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Alasdair Fraser & Paul Machlis – Legacy Of The Scottish Fiddle Volume One

Throughout the years, tastes change and, if like mine yours has mellowed, you will find nostalgia is no bad thing particularly when it is performed ...
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Maddy Prior – Arthur The King

The opening intro of Maddy's latest CD brings to mind Clannad's 'Robin The Hooded Man' with the Uilleann pipes set-up by Troy Donockley. Now sitting ...
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Ralph McTell – Right Side Up

Here's another superb offering to swell the ever-extending Ralph McTell back catalogue. His songs fit so comfortably - like a well-settled pair of slippers. 'Naomi', ...
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Ralph McTell – Red Sky

The wind whips and moves the stale air from those who only remember “Streets of London” as “Red Sky” dawns into a fresh collection of ...
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Vyktoria – Something about Driving

This live album oozes with confidence and is rich with intriguing time signatures and unearthly vocals. Track Listing: 1. Voice & the Drum - 2 ...
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Loscoe State Opera – Dawn Bird

Lively lot this - You're sweetly piped into "Brian Boru" a slow instrumental medley that accelerates into a medieval romp. "The Butterfly" starts as a ...
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MARTIN SIMPSON – The Bramble Briar

My first introduction to Martin's opening track 'Polly On The Shore' was the Trevor Lucas interpretation on the Fairport 9 album. Something to live up ...
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Ralph McTell – Ralph Albert & Sydney

I'm never more comfortable than when listening to a Ralph McTell record. Maybe it's because he writes songs that envelope you in their Englishness that ...
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MAGGIE MACINNES – Spirit Of Life

I first came across Maggie MacInnes on an album with George Jackson some years ago and was taken by her impressive vocals and harp playing. Last year ...
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Jamie Marshall – Here After

Jamie Marshall - a new shining light in acoustic music releases his latest album 'Here After' - an album mixed by the legendary John Wood. The opening track 'She is ...
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Darryl Purpose – Travelers’ Code

Travelers' Code, Darryl's third CD, is as colourful as the man himself. Darryl was once recognized as the World's top blackjack player and is an ...
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Sheila Nicholls – Brief Strop

Sheila Nicholls début album Brief Strop has classic written all over it. Her voice contains a primal emotion that makes you instantly connect with the ...
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LUNASA – The Merry Sisters Of Fate

A nice opening set-up from Donogh Hennessy's driving rhythmic guitar settles comfortably in to the jig 'Aoibhneas Eilis Ni Cheallaigh' with Kevin Crawford's flute and ...
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Bob Fox – Dreams Never Leave You

Bob Fox's latest album "Dreams Never Leave You" is like an old friend. "The Road to the North" welcomes you in and leads very nicely ...
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Battlefield Band – Happy Daze

Starting the album with Alan Reid's interpretation of the traditional song 'The Devil's Courtship' he is joined by the rather wonderful voice of Karine Polwart ...
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Celtarabia – Cult of Audio

Wow! The word 'programming' gives it away, this is a spectacular mix of trad and world music with a thumping techno back-beat. Celtarabia are: Quentin ...
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Bluehorses – Dragons Milk and Coal

This album bays loudly and stampedes the listener with a sound that has been created by the fusion of a classic Rock technique thrust into ...
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Shave the Monkey – Good Luck Mr Gorsky

Original folking posting date - 17-May-2001 When Apollo Mission Astronaut Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, he not only gave his famous "one small ...
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Ashley Hutchings – An Hour With Cecil Sharp

Not exactly an hour but who's counting? Bearing in mind the current debate on the nature of Englishness, this is a timely and welcome re-issue ...
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Flook – Flatfish

Orginal folking.com Posting date - 17-May-2001 Flook are like a well-oiled machine, with the many parts working in harmonious precision. Driving the sound is the ...
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Martyn Joseph – Far from Silent

"Far from Silent" is about real life, people and experiences. When you listen to the words behind the songs you begin to understand the depth ...
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Lorraine Jordan – This Big Feeling

“This Big Feeling” has it all: Syncopated rhythms where guitar, cello, accordion and bouzouki work together in perfect harmony, blended with soft rhythmic swing vocals ...
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Celtus – What goes Around

“What goes Around” builds a new refined pyramid of sound, vocal and spirit. John and Pat McManus are at the heart of this new structure, which is ...
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Gjallarhorn – Sjofn

Gjallarhorn's unique mix of world music finds its roots in the Swedish folk music of Finland. It features a layered style of mythical medieval ballads, whirling ...
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Eliza Carthy – Angels & Cigarettes

Interesting concept that explores a yearning for what you can't have and an addiction for what you shouldn't have. Stylistically, the album reflects its title ...
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Calico – Songdogs

Songdogs is the second album by Irish band Calico and takes its name from the book written by the Dublin-born author Colum McCann. This album ...
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Andy Guttridge – Amongst Friends

Andy Guttridge "Amongst Friends" is a fine recording based on light soothing melodies with good guitar and vocal accompaniment sometimes reaching moments of purism. There ...
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Celtus Moonchild (Sony 487715 2)

Debut album of the incredibly talented Celtus, who were previously the hugely successful hard rock band Mama's Boys. Formed after the death of their drummer ...
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Interview with Bert Jansch at Fleadh Festival 2000

Here is a transcript of an impromptu interview I did backstage at the London Fleadh in 2000 with Bert Jansch. I was very lucky as Bert ...
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Celtus At the Memorial Hall, Sheffield 2000 -By Jean and Emma Camp – Devon, England

We all waited outside eagerly, knowing that we were in for a treat. We were not disappointed!! It was our first visit to the Memorial ...
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Interview with Dave Pegg from Fairport Convention on Saturday 29th April 2000

Brief introduction... A couple of weeks ago we visited Peggy's place, the "Woodworm Hilton" supposedly to do an interview with him in the morning before ...
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Celtus At the Royal Festival Hall on Monday 13th March, 2000

The air was filled with gathering excitement as we waited for Celtus to appear on stage. Our first view was of Dan bathed in a ...
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Celtus – Reviewed by The Sunday Citizen Milton Keynes on the 12th March, 2000 – by Paul Brookman

Celtus are simply the best! CELTUS are quite simply the best band Ireland has ever produced. Forget U2, The Corrs, Them or any group of ...
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Celtus Moonchild and Portrait Albums – A Poetic look back

Sitting in a high place, the darkness of night passes slowly to a dawn of eager glow. Beneath lie the souls of the loved and ...
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Celtus – Reviewed by the Liverpool Daily Post on the 06th March, 2000 – by Andrew Judge

It's a great achievement finally knowing you've got there. Celtus have paid their dues and they deserve it. The band have supported Paul Carrack of ...
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The History of Celtus

Pat, John & Tommy McManus grew up on a family farm near Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The parents, Valerie and John have a ...
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