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Review of Scottish Cowboy Ballads & Early American Folk Songs

Scottish Cowboy Ballads & Early American Folk Songs

Sam Shackleton

Sam Shackleton

Rating: ★★★

Also known as Sorley the Bard, Shackleton developed his chops busking on the streets of Edinburgh with his father, Norman...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: December/2025

Review of Buskers’ Ballroom

Buskers’ Ballroom

She’koyokh Klezmer Ensemble

Top of the World

ARC Music

Rating: ★★★★★

First of all, don't be put off by the cheesy cover. She’koyokh are Britain's best klezmer and Balkan music band....

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: Apr/May/2011

Review of Take Me to the Dance

Take Me to the Dance

Freshlyground

Free Ground Records

Rating: ★★★★

Though Freshlyground is a pan-African outfit, with members from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the bohemian Cape Town septet is undoubtedly a...

Reviewed by Tim Woodall in issue: June/2013

Review of Jah Shaka Presents the Positive Message

Jah Shaka Presents the Positive Message

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Greensleeves GRE2025

Rating: ★★★★

The legendary and mysterious Jah Shaka has been the UK’s leading roots and culture sound-system operator since the early 70s,...

Reviewed by Neil Foxlee in issue: Jan/Feb/2010

Review of Folk Awards 2012

Folk Awards 2012

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Proper Records

Rating: ★★★★

Proper Records have been putting out these compilations, based on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominations, since 2005 and...

Reviewed by Kevin Bourke in issue: Apr/May/2012

Review of Celebration

Celebration

Common Kings

Mensch House Records

Rating: ★★★

Like many of their Oceanic compatriots, ever since their 2013 debut California-based quartet Common Kings have managed to craft a...

Reviewed by Seth Jordan in issue: March/2024

Review of Our Routes

Our Routes

Gypsy Hill

Batov Records

Rating: ★★

It 's somewhat quaint in late 2014 to get a new album that faithfully treads the Balkan beats formula popular...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: Jan/Feb/2015

Review of L’Nu’k Mawiejik

L’Nu’k Mawiejik

Sacred Wolf Singers x Simon Walls

Atty Records

Rating: ★★★

This collaboration between Tee Cloud, founder of the Indigenous Sacred Wolf Singers, and the Canadian singer-songwriter and producer Simon Walls...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: June/2025

Review of Leaving Eden

Leaving Eden

Carolina Chocolate Drops

Nonesuch

Rating: ★★★

The new release from the American acoustic trio comes with high expect¬ations, after its pre¬decessor, Genuine Negro Jig won a...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: March/2012

Review of Gamelan of Java Volume One: Kraton Kasunanan

Gamelan of Java Volume One: Kraton Kasunanan

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Lyrichord LYRCD7456

Rating: ★★★

Not content with overseeing Felmay's series of recordings, John Noise Manis – aka the Italian composer Giovanni Sciarrino (manis is...

Reviewed by John Whitfield in issue: July/2010

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