CD-Charts Position 1
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The Imagined Village

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 2
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Poor Man's Heaven

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 3
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Dreams of Breathing Underwater

by: Eliza Carthy

Release Date June 23, 2008
Eliza is a huge talent- writing , playing and a voice like no other, but for me this CD seems to have lost the sound and emotion and subtlety that I love about much of her work.
Big sound, but unsatisfying , maybe less is more?

CD-Charts Position 4
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This Earthly Spell

by: Karine Polwart

Release Date March 10, 2008
Songs on this album are more edgy than Karine's earlier work and take a bit more listening to but are very much worth it. Personal favourites are Sorry and Rivers Run.

If you're new to Karine's songs and want easier listening I would say start with Scribbled in Chalk instead, but the best would be to try to see her live on tour - then you'll appreciate how much personal observation and perspective goes into each song.

CD-Charts Position 5
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Fleet Foxes

by: Fleet Foxes

Release Date June 16, 2008
HELLO? HI, THIS IS A GOOD ALBUM, THE SONGS ARE GOOD, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, IT MAKES YOU THINK.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Folk Awards 2008

by: Various Artists

Release Date January 28, 2008
Ok...so I'm new to the folk scene, but what an introduction. Excellent!!
Made me want more and feel more confident about exploring the possibilities.

CD-Charts Position 7
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The Bairns

by: Rachel Unthank And The Winterset

Release Date August 20, 2007
We caught Rachel Unthank at Cambridge Folk Festival in 07 and were blown away. It reminded me of some of the cutting age post punk stuff (hardly sounds folk!) in the early to mid 80s, not that we can trace much of this but vague memories of Peel, and support groups to the Nightingales and Terry and Jerry (sorry I am indulging myself here).

So after playing the Bairns to death, and tiring of it a little, totally surprised when we saw them live again to appreciate how wonderful this is and to have to play it once again.

Brilliant that a whole new audience can now appreciate it through the mercury nominations and even more wonderful to meet Becky at the Big Chill, even if I had forgotten the camera at the time (hope that she doesn't think she ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

by: Martha Wainwright

Release Date May 12, 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling effect in the right setting. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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O Brother, Where Art Thou?

by: Various Artists

Release Date August 28, 2000
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

CD-Charts Position 10
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Who Knows Where The Time Goes?

by: Kate Rusby

Release Date May 05, 2008
This is a truly beautiful rendering of an utterly beautiful song. Kate sings with her customary unpretentious clarity, and with that amazingly pure voice of hers. Andy Cutting's rhythmic accordion playing moves it along nicely, too. However, if you want to hear the definitive version of this great song, then I would recommend Sandy Denny's own version with an early incarnation of The Strawbs - which is just as beautiful but has that extra spark of passion. [And I say that as someone who does not usually believe in "definitive" versions of songs]. Having said that, this version brought a tear to my eye when I heard Kate sing it live recently - and it deserves to be widely heard.