If you have set your folk radar to scan the landscape a bit deeper, you may already be familiar with Sarah-Jane (fiddle, Scotland) and Juhani (guitars, Finland), both long time residents in Norway. Both have their own, widely respected careers in contemporary music but together, they have created several works that both retain and renew … Continue reading Superb creativity: “How To Raise The Wind” by Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola
Author: celtbritfolkfan
Salt House hits another 10/10 with “Scarrow”
Scarrow - faint light, reflection, the shadow of a crow or hill, the faint light from a wall. Something gleaming intermittently or indistinctly.ˈska(ˌ)rō. plural -s. Scots. Salt House's previous album, Riverwoods, was one of my absolute favorites of 2023, an utterly entracing, beautiful work that radiated nature in music. A couple of years have passed … Continue reading Salt House hits another 10/10 with “Scarrow”
Woodlands Bäckafall’s “Traditional Colours”: joyful and borderless northern folk
I feel almost silly, having to write another "oh this album makes me so happy!" review only a few days after I went joyfully bananas over Ampouailh's latest release. But here we go... Let's begin by noting that Woodlands and Bäckafall are two separate entities that created this album as a unit. Woodlands Duo: Kristina … Continue reading Woodlands Bäckafall’s “Traditional Colours”: joyful and borderless northern folk
My soul dances with Ampouailh’s “Lang(u)ages”!
I have never been to France, so I haven't been to Brittany/Bretagne/Breizh either. I guess I should visit that northwestern corner of France, because it has a fabulous culture of Celtic music, there's a unique Celtic language and the history of the region is fascinating. And it's where the village of Asterix was located, so … Continue reading My soul dances with Ampouailh’s “Lang(u)ages”!
Fergal Scahill & Ryan Molloy’s “The Gannet’s Dive” connects trad and (almost) classical
There's something about instrumental duos. The interplay between two musicians and their tools, nothing else. Everything is there to hear, everything hangs not only on the skills of the individual musician but just as much on their communication. The earlier Scahill-Molloy album One Day :: November Woods, from a few years ago, was a prime … Continue reading Fergal Scahill & Ryan Molloy’s “The Gannet’s Dive” connects trad and (almost) classical
Westlin Winds by The Wilderness Yet: a folk a cappella treasure
A couple of years ago I wrote a few lines on the previous The Wilderness Yet album, What Holds The World Together. It seems I appreciated it but said it's not my exact cup of tea stylewise. I wonder now why I said that because on later listening, I have loved it! Only goes to … Continue reading Westlin Winds by The Wilderness Yet: a folk a cappella treasure
Mànran’s “To The Wind” – a band in transition?
Bands change over time, if they last long and have musical vitality and dignity. In rock,my favorites like Rush, Genesis, Jethro Tull and XTC went through so many periods and styles, it makes zero sense to answer briefly when someone asks "what's their music like?" Mànran have been for 15 years in the groundbreaking frontline … Continue reading Mànran’s “To The Wind” – a band in transition?
Gwilym Bowen Rhys: Aden – impressive music from Wales, in Welsh
I how zero idea how Aden got on my list of albums to check out but there it was. Someone may have pointed it out to me. Or maybe I had read a positive review. Doesn't really matter, since this, my first encounter with Gwilym Bowen Rhys, was very positive. I now know that Aden … Continue reading Gwilym Bowen Rhys: Aden – impressive music from Wales, in Welsh
“Allt vol. 2: Cuimhne” – beauty upon beauty
I admit it: early this year I firmly intended to listen to and write about the then newly released sequel to the first Allt album. I did not, because it had been a working day and I fell soundly asleep during the second track and only woke to the sound of silence telling me the … Continue reading “Allt vol. 2: Cuimhne” – beauty upon beauty
Apples, history, local pride and a deep musical heritage: Jim Causley’s “The Georgic”
I have never been to Devonshire and I did not know what a Georgic is. I have no immediate plans to visit Devonshire in the near future, but I did look up the meaning of Georgic: A poem or book dealing with agriculture or rural topics, which commonly glorifies outdoor labor and simple country life. … Continue reading Apples, history, local pride and a deep musical heritage: Jim Causley’s “The Georgic”
FolkNotes 