Twenty Live!

As the title suggests, this album is a celebration of, and love-in for, the Welsh five-piece Mabon and the fans who have followed them around concerts and festivals for the past two decades. What began as an instrumental quartet on South Wales' twmpath (ceilidh-like dances) circuit has morphed into a barnstorming ball of inventive energy.

Since 2002, they've added drums and bass, bringing a more raucous, rocking feel. But that doesn't mean this is simply a wall of sound. On ‘Yr Ennyd’ and ‘Caru Pum Merch’, they conjure a majestic, cinematic Welsh-language atmosphere. The band's current line-up features fiddler Oliver Wilson-Dickson, guitarist Paul Rogers, bassist Matthew Downer and Iolo Whelan on percussion. But the beating heart of the band is Jamie Smith – a prodigiously talented accordionist and bandleader with a witty streak. This set includes ‘The Accordionist's Despair’, a tune he composed to be as difficult to play as possible. If it all sounds rather too geeky, Mabon remain a highly accessible group. They avoid obscurantist folk postures in favour of a good-time live sound. Twenty Live! is the perfect showcase of their skills.