Europe REVIEWS Europe REVIEWS Akleja of an erotic R&B song that could gently lilting folk sensibility and brio of The SteelDrivers’ ‘There’s five-year stretch before reassembling Wasser und Erde successfully win over a nightclub travelling-man observation of the Whiskey in the Jar’. in 2013. A near decade and a half Akleja (51 mins) dance floor. Marichka and Mark natural world that marks the whole Dervish’s own Cathy Jordan since 2005’s Haven, the follow up HHHHH Marczyk, juggling with musical ideas scene encompassing new folk and takes the lead on two tracks with Ancora finds the fab Anglo-Irish four Nyckelharpa duo are really in and statements, are trying to heal the eco-activism. Naturally enough, the Steve Earle, Imelda May, Vince Gill, returning to flex musical muscles with their element trauma and reclaim their freedom of brothers’ music evokes comparisons Andrea Corr and Abigail Washburn a confidence and élan hard to resist. Akleja are expression, while indeed creating a with Sam Lee – the nightingale- providing piquancy or poetry to a Taking its title from Michelangelo’s nyckelharpa unique piece of art. stalking fireside folkie of the East veritable ‘greatest hits’ collection 87th birthday declaration ‘Ancora players Regina AGNIESZKA UJMA London scene, whom they have of traditional Irish favourites. The impara’ (‘I am yet learning’) – ancora Kunkel and Björn TRACK TO TRY Boom Boom supported on tour. There is also more musical accompaniment is low-key, also translating as ‘hope’ or ‘again’ – it Kaidel (who also than a hint of The Waterboys’ mystical Sinéad O’Connor collaborator Graham serves a vibrant reminder of just how plays guitar and Banter Celtic balladry, such as on the plaintive Henderson’s production stressing the good this crack quartet are. Irish bouzouki). Wasser und Erde Dare whistle airs of ‘Coventina’s Daughter’. mellow and mellifluous. All it needs is The sense of ensemble is even (Water and Earth) is an often Mrs Casey Records (42 mins) The self-penned numbers have a glass of the black stuff and a turf fire. stronger, more elastic and intricate intoxicating set of instrumental folk HHHHH an almost pre-industrial quality, MICHAEL QUINN than before. Brian Finnegan and tunes and melodies, many featuring Mad bants with the world's with a hint of American country. The TRACK TO TRY There’s Whiskey in the Jar Sarah Allen’s twin flutes and whistles, two nyckelharpas together – a rarity smallest big band brothers’ finger-picking guitar, fiddle Ed Boyd’s guitar and the bodhrán of even in the instrument’s home country Featuring Simon and mandolin are complemented Dobranotch John Joe Kelly mesh together with of Sweden. The duo have studied and Care on melodeon by Siannie Moodie’s clarsach (Celtic Merčedes Kolo the mathematical precision of poetry performed in the country often, and and concertina, harp) and percussion from Tim Lane. CPL Music (64 mins) bolstered by bursts of drama. Adding this set was recorded there last with Nina Zella on There’s also a spare, simple take on HHHHH idiosyncratic tones to the already rich November. Comprising 14 tunes, it keyboards and the traditional ‘The Road to Dundee’ Boisterous party klezmer band palette of colours are Mark Tucker’s opens with the not altogether burning vocals, and brass and a cover of Michelle Shocked’s from St Petersburg theremin on the closing pairing of Zoë question: ‘Sind die Rüben Rieb?’ (Are and percussion from Tim Walker, this ‘Blackberry Blossom’. The Finnish Conway’s ‘Ómós Sheamuis’ and John The Turnips Ripe?), a north-east well-connected trio still style The duo’s sound has a consciously harmonica band McSherry’s ‘The Quickenbeam’, Melvin German polonaise extracted from a OFTHETOP themselves as ‘the world’s smallest big cultivated archaic sound and turn of Sväng have made a Ifill’s steel drums on ‘The Coral Castle’ small set of surviving tunes from a WORLD band,’ and, as on their bracing debut phrase. For anyone who remembers a series of and Matthias Loibner’s evocative 19th century player. That’s followed by Cormac Byrne & TRACK 6 Yes, they can make a pretty big noise if time when both folkie sensibilities and photographs on hurdy-gurdy on two tracks. Boyd and two original tunes from Kunkel, and Adam Summerhayes it suits them. They’ve been gigging for eco-activism were distinctly uncool, different modes of Tucker’s production perfectly frames a then more flowing, ebbing polskas, Stone Soup the past 18 months since that striking this fresh young sound is striking, transport – motorbike sidecar, railway veteran outfit doing what they do best. angloise, mazurkas, minuets and Extinct Records/Nimbus Alliance (53 mins) introduction, and when they lay into stirring and hopeful in its idealism. maintenance vehicle, hot air balloon MICHAEL QUINN schottisches, either by Kunkel and HHHHH the traditional dance tunes here, as NATHANIEL HANDY – and Dobranotch create a similar feel TRACK TO TRY Ocean Child Kaidle, or drawn from old tune books. Duo made of strong stock throw ingredients into the pot for a hearty cup of improv they often do, their sheer gusto is TRACK TO TRY Golden One on the cover of Merčedes Kolo, though As such, there are strong parallels with This is an audacious piece of work by they conceived the idea to record an improvised album impressively infectious and enjoyable. the badge has been replaced by a Dick Gaughan contemporary English instrumentalists, two accomplished musicians. Adam over the space of two nights. With its emphasis on the On the other hand, the several Dervish horseshoe, perhaps for luck. Handful of Earth such as Leveret, who mix original and Summerhayes is a classically trained passage of a night and its pace and rhythm, it evokes self-penned tracks tend towards the The Great Irish Songbook Dobranotch (Goodnight) are a Topic Records (45 mins) traditional tunes from ancient sources. fiddler with a rich Northumbrian, both contemporary and Indian classical music. disappointingly underwhelming, Rounder Records (63 mins) Russian band playing klezmer and HHHHH Throughout, the playing is Celtic and Eastern European heritage. Byrne brought a marimbula and berimbau into the straining for lyrical relevance but HHHHH good-time party music with lyrics A classic protest album that beautiful, and packed with almost- Having travelled the world playing studio to add extra texture to this sonic ‘stone soup.’ The mostly just sounding hackneyed, To celebrate 30 years, the Irish mainly in Russian and Yiddish. Their feels as relevant now as ever tactile melodies. Musically, it’s an easy concertos, he has been drawn back to his folk roots. He first tones of fiddle feel Eastern, like a slow alap, before despite their obvious instrumental band head across the Atlantic sound is brassy and boisterous, often When this album place to get lost in, a retreat in sound asked Irish bodhrán percussionist Cormac Byrne to join the rhythm builds, pulling the sound west towards skills and a continuing cheery Dervish mark 30 excessively so. Although they’re was released in that repeatedly works its charms. his latest project, the Gypsy-Celtic-klezmer fusion of something akin to klezmer. The whole is very satisfying. disregard for musical boundaries. years together with from St Petersburg, there’s a touch of November 1981, TIM CUMMING Dodo Street Band, and this is an organic offshoot from NATHANIEL HANDY Unfortunately, any pleasure to be had their first studio underworld Odessa in there. There the year had TRACK TO TRY Herbstastermenuett that meeting. In a Derbyshire kitchen late one night, TRACK TO TRY Arising: Part 1 from its diversity quickly goes astray in album in more are novelties here in ‘Ya Rayah’ already seen riots the face of the collection’s irritating ups than a decade and the Algerian song (by Dahmane El in Brixton, Toxteth The Askew Sisters and downs. Matters could well be very the first to be Harrachi) popularised by Rachid Taha and Moss Side, the death of Bobby Enclosure and power in the present age. The Balaklava Blues Fly, their debut long play, is filled different in the live arena, of course. released on American roots label and ‘Son’, a Latin-flavoured Russian Sands, the birth of the SDP and Oakmere Music (48 mins) opener, ‘I Wandered by the Brookside’, Fly with monumental, energetic beats Quite what a virtually unreconstructed Rounder Records, home to luminaries song by Alec Kopyt of the Amsterdam Murdoch’s purchasing of The Times HHHHH focuses on internal disconnections Six Degrees (59 mins) and haunting, white-voiced singing take on The Police’s always dubious such as Alison Krauss, Gregg Allman Klezmer Band. Fun though this is, newspapers – all indicators of the I know why the caged sisters sing while ‘Goose & Common’ tackles the HHHHH by Marichka Marczyk in both English ‘Roxanne’ is doing here, let alone and Steve Martin. Dobranotch’s 2018 album, 20 Years, tumultuous socio-political battles that The Askews have privatisation of place and resources. Ukrainian folk tunes take flight and Ukrainian. The album echoes closing the album on a faintly Not surprisingly, the accent had more variety. would be lost and won, carving deep released some of A lovely account of ‘Georgie’ is bound in support of revolution with works of Nicola Cruz and Gooral desperate note, is anybody’s guess. here – on a baker’s dozen of songs SIMON BROUGHTON channels that our society still flows the most striking up in the social enclosures of class, Marichka and and it speaks with an honesty and KEVIN BOURKE culled from the Irish songbook – is TRACK TO TRY Son