Grannen

Frigg can do no wrong. I have waxed lyrical about them in these pages in the past and am beginning to run out of fine things to say about the Finnish-Norwegian band who have been thrilling audiences for the last ten years. Grannen is their fifth album and even though there's been some change in the personnel – fiddler Einar Olav Larsen is now the only Norwegian – the compulsive drive and spirit are as addictive as ever. There are three of the Järvelä family (mighty fiddlers all, and well known to fans of the band JPP) in the band, making four fiddles in all, plus double bass. There's some gorgeous playing from them all, and from the elegant pair of Tuomas Logrén and Petri Prauda, who contribute guitar, mandolin, cittern and bagpipes. The performances are outstanding, their impeccable phrasing bringing imaginative textures to life.

These are tunes with infectious rhythms to make you dance in their own ‘Nordgrass’ style – Celtic meets bluegrass with a large helping of Nordic twisting harmonies. The legendary Swedish musician Ale Möller's opening ‘Potatisvals’ and Petri Prauda's ‘Maple Cake Farm’ are just two of the unforgettable tunes on the album. They've brought in some guests (woodwind and percussion) for ‘Amurin Tiikeri’ which alternates between being intimate and full-on, but Frigg are at their best when just the seven of them are ensnaring us in their web of invention. Once again Frigg seem to have made a perfect album.