Botany Bay

This new album of traditional songs from Hertfordshire's Kelly Oliver is produced by Megson's Stuart Hanna, who manages to frame her voice with classy arrangements throughout. Particularly pleasing is the title-track, which uses a familiar ‘John Barleycorn’ tune to set up a tragic tale of exile. Jamie Francis' banjo cuts through nicely here, without jostling Oliver's vocals. Even better is ‘Trees do Grow High’, a minimalist epic featuring a heartbreaking violin solo by Phil Beer that entwines perfectly with Oliver's mournful voice.

Her voice works better when the mood is sadder, as the slightly too bright ‘Bold Fisherman’ testifies; again the banjo is great, but the flutes alongside the vocal are a little too much. But this is a minor quibble to apply to a set that rarely stumbles and often delights. ‘The Bramble Briar’ demonstrates the versatility in the music and singing, with an uneasy time signature and a jolting vocal narrating a tale of murder and vengeance. The set ends with ‘Died of Love’, a maritime tragedy of betrayal that again boasts a skilful arrangement and clear singing, reminiscent of Stephanie Hladowski. In fact, Botany Bay often reminded me of Hladowski and Joynes' excellent The Wild Wild Berry album of 2012, which is high praise indeed.