Album of The Week

  Scottish folk stalwarts ALAN REID and BRIAN McNeill have re-released their long-lost 1980 album, SIDETRACKS. They recorded this, their one and only duo album, during a hiatus in the activity of Battlefield Band. The band’s career subsequently took an upward trajectory as they were introduced to US audiences while at the same time forging […]

  Blistering bluegrass, country guitar, lightning mandolin, virtuoso fiddle playing and three-part harmonies galore contribute to the terrific music on ‘Silver Lining’ from GOOD GUY HANK. From the harmonious heartlands of Scotland and the musical metropolis of Melbourne, Australia, this trio bring all of the heartbreak, joy and everything in-between to this free-flowing offering that’s […]

Paisley Buddy JOHN RUSH has released his second album SOMETIME ON NEW STREET and readily admits: “It’s a bit different from my debut (2019’s Beneath The Apple Tree) but I am excited for folk to hear it.” John grew up in the music and sounds of his native Paisley with such icons of Gerry Rafferty […]

Scottish fiddler LAURA WILKIE’S intriguing album ‘Vent’ is centred around waulking songs – ancient women’s work songs which were sung for hundreds of years in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Women sang the songs whilst waulking the tweed, the process of beating tweed to shrink and soften it before use. It was a laborious […]

  Personal stories and cultural concerns are what MAIRI CAMPBELL uses compellingly as inspirations for her evocatively distinctive songs. A pioneering Scottish musician and an interpreter of Scots song, this album – co-written with musician and producer Dave Gray – is a taster for her Edinburgh Festival Fringe Living Stone show premiere next month, which […]

  Internationally renowned cellist CALUM INGRAM’s first full album, The Man, has been well received when road-tested on tour and at festivals. Out now on CD and vinyl, the album shows influences of Peter Gabriel, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Jack White and John Martyn. The Man offers an introspective and reflective take on Calum’s own […]

Glasgow-based Gaelic indie-trad band DLÙ have released their second album, the dance-inspired album Close To. It’s a dynamic album with a distinctive sound, unveiling an evolved style from the five-piece that reflects the story of their lives. Each track pulsates with camaraderie, shared experiences and a sense of excitement as DLÙ forge their own path […]

  Orcadian musician IVAN DREVER has long considered recording a collection interpreting some of his favourite songs by his favourite artists. And with ‘Covered’ he has done just that, and in real style. The 12 songs here include tracks made famous by the likes of Frankie Miller, Gallagher and Lyle, Tom Waits and U2. Ivan […]

A red-hot blend of songs and tunes make Scots folk trio Skelpt’s debut album ‘Ersten’ a collection to savour. Skelpt – Andrew Gordon (vocals, guitar, bodhran); Euan Johnston (vocals bodhran) and Iain Anderson (fiddle, vocals) – got together in 2023 for this new venture with the aim of creating an energetic set of music suitable […]

  This is a glorious album that pays tribute to the artistry of Phil Ochs, hailed as a major singer-songwriter throughout the 60s and into the 70s. He was a contemporary of Bob Dylan, influenced by the likes of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and was viewed as an influential protest singer – though he […]