The Boston States

The title of this album refers to the moniker given to the greater metro area of Boston in the 19th century by Canadians who travelled between the Maritime provinces and the New England region of the US. Recorded in Nova Scotia and Scotland, The Boston States draws upon the rich instrumental repertoire that was developed in dancehalls by Scots who settled on Cape Breton. McNally (who grew up in Boston) and her bandmates – pianist Neil Pearlman and violist Shauncey Ali – serve up a beguiling mash-up of reels, jigs and strathspeys spiked with jazzy and ‘newgrass’ elements culled from US traditions.

Among the album's ten tracks, ‘Donald John the Tailor/One More Week’ particularly stands out. McNally scratches and saws an eerie whisper of an introduction before Pearlman enters, stroking the piano strings for a ghostly shimmering effect; as the tempo picks up, an assuredly swinging strathspey emerges, which then morphs into an almost straight-ahead jazz trio number, building to a whirling cross-genre finale. If you tend to think all Celtic music sounds the same, The Boston States may compel you to think again.