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Review of Arcadia

Arcadia

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Down the Road Records

Rating: ★★★★

A remarkable trait of Alison Krauss & Union Station is the consistently sublime nature of the band’s output. It’s been...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: May/2025

Review of Tomorrow Held

Tomorrow Held

Spafford Campbell

Top of the World

Real World Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Opening with minimal, subliminal guitar, very quiet and very still, an expressive fiddle soon eases in, the two shapeshifting around...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: September/2025

Review of Sunwise

Sunwise

Brìghde Chaimbeul

Top of the World

tak: til / Glitterbeat

Rating: ★★★★

The third solo album from Scottish composer and smallpipes player Brìghde Chaimbeul, Sunwise feels like the start of a bolder...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: August/2025

Review of Chigiyo Music Kings 1987–1998

Chigiyo Music Kings 1987–1998

Zig-Zag Band

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★

Way back at the dawn of the 1980s, the slow’n’rootsy style of Zimbabwean chimurenga, as played by the mighty Thomas...

Reviewed by Martin Longley in issue: January/2026

Review of Shell Story

Shell Story

Twelfth Day

Orange Feather Records

Rating: ★★★

Described as a ‘sister companion release’ to last year's The Devil Makes Three, four of the seven tracks on this...

Reviewed by Kevin Bourke in issue: October/2015

Review of The Longest Day

The Longest Day

Toby Hay

The State 51 Conspiracy

Rating: ★★★

Guitarist Toby Hay hails from near Rhayader on the Welsh border. Its atmosphere permeates his second instrumental album; it's dreamy,...

Reviewed by Nathaniel Handy in issue: Aug/Sep/2018

Review of An Introduction to Shirley Collins

An Introduction to Shirley Collins

Shirley Collins

Topic Records

Rating: ★★★

You could say Shirley Collins needs little introduction and, certainly within the folk world, that is true. But this serves...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: November/2017

Review of OVA

OVA

Afro Celt Sound System

Top of the World

Six Degrees Records

Rating: ★★★★★

This is a bittersweet triumph from one of the world’s finest fusion bands. The Afro Celts were founded by Simon...

Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: December/2024

Review of It’s Not Going to be Okay

It’s Not Going to be Okay

Joshua Burnside

Nettwerk

Rating: ★★★★

A follow-up to last year’s enticingly experimental Teeth of Time, Joshua Burnside’s latest release is a softer, more sentimental offering...

Reviewed by Olivia Cheves in issue: April/2026

Review of Rebuilding

Rebuilding

Jake Xerxes Fussell & James Elkington

Fat Possum

Rating: ★★★★

In a move away from their usual collaborative format (James has played on and produced Jake’s last two albums), these...

Reviewed by Glenn Kimpton in issue: February/March/2026

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