Album Review | Self Release | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 3/5 Tribute album's are fun, more so for the artist recreating the music than for the listener it has to be said. Many classic album's have been carefully recreated in an almost forensic fashion, with bold attempts to get the timbre of the … Continue reading Steve Hogg and Jeff Spencer – Present Nilsson Sings Newman

Album Review | Agogo Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 The award-winning Ghanaian saxophonist and singer Gyedu-Blay Ambolley returns with an album of feel good songs, each of which is an indication that Highlife is alive and well. His twelfth album release since 1973, 11th Street Sekondi appears to continue from where … Continue reading Gyedu-Blay Ambolley – 11th Street Sekondi

EP Review | Self Release | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 3/5 On this second helping, Frank Birtwistle, the Sheffield-based composer and guitar player, delivers seven evocative instrumentals, each of which explore the tonal qualities of the acoustic guitar, much in the manner of the Windham Hill musicians before him. With just single word … Continue reading Frank Birtwistle – Volume Two

Album Review | Madge Wildfire Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 Having endured the dual crisis of the termination of both a long term relationship and the creative space in which the London-based singer songwriter worked, Catherine Rudie responded by channeling her creative juices into the making of The Möbius Kiss, the … Continue reading Catherine Rudie – The Möbius Kiss

Album Review | Thirty Tigers | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 Nice to see the Milk Carton Kids back to their stripped down acoustic best, there's nothing quite like gently played acoustic instruments to bring out the best in close harmony voices. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan have already established the fact that … Continue reading The Milk Carton Kids – The Only Ones

Album review | Cannery Row Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 Mali's Kankou Kouyate and Scots producer Mark Mulholland join forces for this exceptionally rich and varied album, which seems to effortlessly span musical cultures. Kuma, which translates to 'Words', finds Kankou on fine form, the warmth and texture of her voice … Continue reading Kankou – Kuma

Album Review | Cumbancha | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 Uplifting collaboration between Lakou Mizik and a host of guests, from Leyla McCalla and the Preservation Hall Jazz band to members of Arcade Fire. Never a dull moment from start to finish with some of the most infectious grooves and festival rhythms, where … Continue reading Lakou Mizik – HaitiaNola

Album Review | Kafou Music | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 4/5 "We Can Do Blues" sings Diabel Cissokho just ten seconds into the opening song on this, the Senegalese singer and kora master's fifth album release Rhythm of the Griot. Delivered in French, "On Sait Faire Blues" is an affirmation of what soon … Continue reading Diabel Cissokho – Rhythm of the Griot

Album Review | Self Release | Review by Marc Higgins | Stars: 3/5 Awkward Family Portraits. With a name that sounds like a meme or social media hash tag this band mixes Western Swing, Rock n Roll, Louche Gypsy Jazz, Louis Jordan, the guitar of Les Paul and knowing County. So well do this band … Continue reading Awkward Family Portraits – Everything We've Done Up Until Now Except What We've Done Since

Album Review | Rough Trade | Review by Allan Wilkinson | Stars: 5/5 There’s little doubt that Josienne Clarke is possessed of one of the most original singing voices in the country, not only in the melancholy of her timbre, but also in her unique phrasing, each lyric pitched like poetry, delivered with poise and … Continue reading Josienne Clark – In All Weather