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Reviews

Review of Stupid Mountain Too Big

Stupid Mountain Too Big

The Hot Seats

Hot Seats

Rating: ★★★★

‘We call it stringband music because it's just too tedious to try and get into whether it's old-time, bluegrass, ragtime,...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: December/2018

Review of An Introduction to Norma Waterson

An Introduction to Norma Waterson

Norma Waterson

Topic Records

Rating: ★★★★

The last song on this album is ‘Bunch of Tyme’ from the 2010's Gift that Waterson made with her daughter...

Reviewed by Julian May in issue: December/2018

Review of The Darkness Between the Leaves

The Darkness Between the Leaves

Alba Griot Ensemble

Riverboat Records

Rating: ★★★★

From the rain-soaked Scottish glens to the hot and dusty deserts of Mali, the Alba Griot Ensemble have discovered an...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: December/2018

Review of Poor Stuart

Poor Stuart

Ben Somers

Fem Records

Rating: ★★★

In Poor Stuart the London-born singer, double bassist and saxophonist has produced a rather extraordinary acoustic album of songs that...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: December/2018

Review of Flat as the Earth

Flat as the Earth

Lonesome George

Lonesome George

Rating: ★★★★

Here's a welcome surprise from Belfast: traditional Irish music filtered through an easy-going 1960s West Coast vibe, with a splash...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: December/2018

Review of Alborada

Alborada

Uji

ZZK Records

Rating: ★★★★

Following the trend of digital cumbia, South America's electronic underground music has gone spiritual, adding chants from Ayahuasca rituals and...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: December/2018

Review of Afrika Festival: Live in Hertme 2

Afrika Festival: Live in Hertme 2

Orchestre Les Mangelepa & Dieuf-Dieul de Thies

Very Open Jazz Records

Rating: ★★★★

The second CD to be released of live recordings from the excellent annual Afrika Festival in Hertme in the Netherlands...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: December/2018

Review of What Heat

What Heat

Bokanté & Metropole Orkest

Real World Records

Rating: ★★★

I did a double-take upon hearing that the world-fusion group Bokanté was planning a project with the Metropole Orkest. Already...

Reviewed by Alex De Lacey in issue: December/2018

Review of New Folk

New Folk

Recoveco

Recoveco

Rating: ★★★★

Imagine if Peter Gabriel was commissioned – or perhaps forced – to record ‘La Bamba’ and reunite with his old...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: December/2018

Review of One Life to Live

One Life to Live

Phyllis Dillon

Doctor Bird

Rating: ★★★★

The latest in the excellent Doctor Bird reissue series is the sole LP that was released by Jamaican singer Phyllis...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: December/2018

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