Reviews Search | Songlines

Reviews

Review of San Patricio

San Patricio

The Chieftains featuring Ry Cooder

Fantasy Records/Concord 0888072313217

Rating: ★★★

Paddy Moloney has long held to the patriotic notion that the roots of just about all the world’s music can...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Apr/May/2010

Review of Secretly Famous

Secretly Famous

The Spy From Cairo

Wonderwheel Recordings wonderCD08

Rating: ★★★

This is a Western¬er’s image of Cairo and its mythical fleshpots: snake-charmer music for young Euro-clubbers en route to the...

Reviewed by Alastair Johnston in issue: July/2010

Review of Hearts & Minds

Hearts & Minds

Seth Lakeman

Virgin/Relentless CDREL21

Rating: ★★★

Hearts & Minds begins with a riff reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’. Which is somewhat surprising, given that Lakeman described...

Reviewed by Julian May in issue: July/2010

Review of Inner Fire

Inner Fire

The Souljazz Orchestra

Strut Records

Rating: ★★★★

A beefy baritone sax hails the return of the little big band from Ottowa. Whatever they've done to that 8-track...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: Apr/May/2014

Review of Meu Único Medo É Primavera

Meu Único Medo É Primavera

Ian Lasserre

Ajabu!

Rating: ★★★

After a brief opener in which the Paulistano musician intones the album's title four times to the sole accompaniment of...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: March/2023

Review of Chakras & 5 Elements

Chakras & 5 Elements

Pierre Redon & Ensemble 9

Les Soeurs Grées

Rating: ★★

This album devised by French avant-garde composer and multi-disciplinary artist Pierre Redon, explores connections between sound and healing. Several designated...

Reviewed by Merlyn Driver in issue: April/2021

Review of Hali Diallo

Hali Diallo

Tallawit Timbouctou

Sahel Sounds

Rating: ★★

For a lot of Touareg desert blues, the drums are the well of rhythm in the undergrowth of the music,...

Reviewed by Asher Breuer-Weil in issue: April/2019

Review of Voice of the People: “It Was Mighty!” – The Early Days of Irish Music in London

Voice of the People: “It Was Mighty!” – The Early Days of Irish Music in London

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Topic Records 3 CDs

Rating: ★★★★

These two sets of field recordings – from the pubs, clubs, ballrooms, bars, private rooms, Irish centres and occasional radio...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: June/2016

Review of Harlem Street Singer

Harlem Street Singer

Reverend Gary Davis

Prestige / Bluesville

Rating: ★★★

Recorded and released in 1960, Harlem Street Singer is regarded as singer/guitarist Reverend ‘Blind’ Gary Davis’ masterpiece. It’s also a...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: February/March/2025

Review of Songs from the Bardo

Songs from the Bardo

Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal & Jesse Paris Smith

Smithonian Folkways Recordings

Rating: ★★★★

Dealing with dying is a major aspect of both the sacred and secular. Songs from the Bardo is a small...

Reviewed by Michael Ormiston in issue: December/2019

Subscribe from only £7.50

Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Songlines magazine.

Find out more