CD-Charts Position 21
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Poor Man's Heaven

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Seth Lakeman

Release Date June 30, 2008
Well, album number 4 from Seth Lakeman finds him backed by a major label. Not good news for someone who's used to recording albums in kitchens. So, it was with some scepticism that I listened to Poor Man's Heaven and it was to say the least, a huge letdown. For a start, I don't personally LIKE the songs. They are bland to the extreme, and as several reviewers have already noted, mostly at the same tempo. Did his metronome break or something? Not good. On the plus side, I do like Crimson Dawn and Solomon Browne. The latter is a slightly obscure subject but is poignant and comes across well, despite sounding cluttered - a sparser sound may have suited it better and let the lyrics breathe a little.

To me it all sounds far too mainstream ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 22
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Alas I Cannot Swim

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Laura Marling

Release Date February 11, 2007
I have heard this album a number of times now and each time I find something else to like about it. She is a very young lady with an old soul. Great stuff.
Alas I Cannot Swim

CD-Charts Position 23
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London Undersound

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Nitin Sawhney

Release Date October 13, 2008
I saw Nitin play in Bristol in early November 2008 and he gave the best performance of the 5 times I have seen him. A delicate and sensitive gig, with Nitin mainly playing acoustic guitar, accompanied by some sublime cello playing and indian flute and tabla playing - all mixed with dreamy singing. This album reflects all that. A true concept album - a 45 minute journey through life today. Such a wide variety of influnces - how wrong the last reviewer is! This is a great Nitin album,and I've loved him from the start. Turn it on, lie back on the sofa and let yourself drift away.

CD-Charts Position 24
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Fotheringay Vol.2

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Fotheringay

Release Date September 29, 2008
Spotted in a bookshop in Bakewell, Derbyshire. There wasn't a "2" was there? So I bought it. And it's hardly been off in the car since. I agree with other reviewers that not every song here is a gem, but the Lucas numbers do have something that stirs the sentiments. (You who said he wasn't a great songwriter, I present exhibit A - "Bring 'em Down" on Fairport 9). It's true though that it's the Denny tracks that really stir the soul. Her remarkable ability to interpret a song never disappoints on this disc.

With all the emotion in the vocals, and all the Telecaster Pyrotechnics of the genius Donahue, it's easy to ignore the superb foundation on which this edifice is built. British folk-rock music has provided some of the best rhythm sections in the world. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 25
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The UFO Has Landed: the Ry Cooder Anthology

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Ry Cooder

Release Date November 03, 2008
Ry Cooder is one of the most wonderful guitarists on the planet.Anyone looking to play guitar should listen to him,because when it comes to tone,to texture and beautiful playing he's among the very best there is.The rave over Stevie Ray's,Hendrix,et all as great as they are no question of that RC is a master of his art.This anthology has a wonderful range of varying styles from a whole range of his albums right upto his 2008 release I Flathead,and it's all fabulous stuff,no fillers here at all.listen to the texture in his film scores like Paris Texas,or his take on Johnny Cash's Get Rhythm to the wonderful unreleased track Let's Get Together.You get 34 tracks for your money,all put together by his son Joachim,plus notes by the man himself.This is surely among the best releases ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 26
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Little Honey

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Lucinda Williams

Release Date October 13, 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lucinda and after seeing her in tremendous form at the glasgow barrowlands I went out and got my hands on as much stuff of hers as I could.
I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with this cd - maybe it will grow on me but there seem to be few powerful songs here.
It's almost as though it has been thrown together to meet contractual obligations.

CD-Charts Position 27
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Spirit Of The Glen

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Release Date November 26, 2007
Very ,very dissapointed with this CD, heard a bit on classic FM, rushed out to buy it, There have been 100s of albums with pipes and drums, and I though being The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards it would be superior. I regret having spent my money on this CD. look for budget CDs of pipe music, you will probably get the real thing, and much better.

CD-Charts Position 28
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The Imagined Village

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Various Artists

Release Date October 15, 2007
I think this is probably a great album and certainly a sterling effort to bring together a range of influences both old and new to fuse a new UK folk perspective. The first talking bit sounds like Stanley Unwin on that Small faces album though and it can get just a little bit self indulgent - Hopefully like me though it will inspire you to re look at the rich heritage of traditional music this country has to offer

CD-Charts Position 29
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The Very Best of Jake Thackray

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Jake Thackray

Release Date April 14, 2003
As a tiny lad in the late 60s I used to love Jake's tv appearances - I loved the sound of his guitar playing and his deadpan delivery and his vocals used to have me in stitches, though I couldn't have understood 99% of the lyrics! Then last year, four decades later, I read an article on the release of Jake's boxed set in Mojo magazine. Straight onto Amazon I ordered myself a copy of the Very Best of Jake Thackray. What a fabulous delight. I have since ordered another five copies which I've sent out to various friends, and here I am on Amazon again, ordering another three copies for further friends. Spreading the word. Jake, you're fab, unique and wonderful. There will never be anyone else like you. Wishing you were here.

CD-Charts Position 30
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The Long Black Veil

CD-Charts > Music > World and Folk
by: Chieftains

Release Date January 23, 1995
This is a terrific CD, with its wild meld of celtic, pop, folk, and country strains. The Chieftains, accompanied by such music greats as Sting, Mick Jagger, Sinead O'Connor, The Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, among others...who would have thought such an assemblage would result in such a cohesive recording of such wildly divergent music? Of particular note are Sting's mournful rendition of "Mo Ghile Mear" and Sinead O'Connor's stylization of "The Foggy Dew" and "He Moved Through The Fair". Mick Jagger also does justice to "A Long Black Veil". This CD is simply a great recording overall!