I've been following the career of Julie Fowlis for a few years now, and I greet each album release and gig with a certain degree of anticipation, and a fear that Ms Fowlis may slip from the undoubtedly high standards that she achieved from the outset, with her beautiful debut album, mar a tha mo chridhe, and her bolder follow-up, cuilidh. Julie's third album, Uam, puts me firmly in my place, with a slap round the face for having even the faintest of doubts! With Uam, Julie has indeed created another album of much finery, yet one that is distinct from her earlier releases. If the beauty of mar a tha mo chridhe was rooted in its fresh innocence and naivety, and the beauty of cuilidh owed much to an exuberance, buoyed by the interest generated by her debut album, then the beauty of Uam comes from a feeling of assurance; there is a sense that Julie is very much at ease here.

So, what's changed? Well, in many ways, nothing has changed. The strength of Uam still lies in the beauty of Julie's voice, and the manner with which she is able to instil in a song the subtler nuances of character and emotion, that reach out to the listener regardless of their linguistic grasp of Gaelic. One change that lends the album a certain degree of consistency, and doubtlessly adds to the feel of ease and togetherness, is the presence of the musicians that have formed Julie's touring band since the release of cuilidh: Éamon Doorley (bouzouki), Duncan Chisholm (fiddle), Tony Byrne (guitar), and Martin O'Neill (bodhrán). These guys are all fine musicians, with a dexterity and subtlety that do much to lift Julie's voice and further illuminate the songs and tunes.

Over the last few years, the success that Julie has enjoyed has allowed her the opportunity to be involved in various music projects, that have meant working with some of the folk scene's celebrated and legendary monikers, a few of whom appear on Uam. So we have the delights of Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader, Jerry Douglas and Sharon Shannon making cameo appearances with their distinctive contributions, though with a modesty typical of Julie Fowlis, none of these contributions could be considered gratuitous, with each performer fitting seamlessly on Uam.

Of all the musicians who contribute to Uam, there is none more worthy of particular attention than Mary Smith. A generous acknowledgement of a singer that Julie much admires, Julie and Mary come together on "Hé gràdh, hó gràdh" and "Bodachan cha phòs mi." To hear two generations of singers sharing these songs is to witness the tradition being kept alive, by the sharing and passing on of songs and tunes.

It is still an arresting experience to hear Julie singing against minimal accompaniment, and there are a number of such moments to savour on Uam. "A Mhic Dhùghaill 'ic Ruairidh" finds Julie's voice pitted against the brawn of Allan MacDonald's highland bagpipes for an intense tale of love and tragedy, whilst on "Hò bha mi, hé bha mi," Julie sings together with Mary Smith and Allan MacDonald on a stark a cappella night visiting song. Songs like these lend Uam a traditional feel, whilst the punchy "Thig am bàta" allows for a more current feel, courtesy of Martin O'Neill's pulsating bodhrán rhythms.

Whether your preference is for the more traditional sounds, or the subtle contemporary leanings, one cannot deny that Julie exudes sheer class in whatever she tackles. For me, "Bothan Àirigh am Bràigh Raithneach" has to be the prime exemplar of Julie's elegance on Uam. Sung over the most delightful Phil Cunningham piano arrangement, and lifted from the conventional sounds of the tradition by the rare sound of Julie's oboe, this really is a song of outstanding allure.

The rest of the album bears the fruit of a diverse selection: a lively Gaelic/English duet with Eddi Reader on "Wind and Rain," the Breton flavours of "Rugadh mi 'n teis meadhan na mara," and a sprightly tune or two to lift the spirits.

Uam translates as 'from me' and the choosing of this name is just one small, but thoughtful reminder that Julie's music remains a personal and precious gift that she wishes to share with us all. The importance of this to Julie is further highlighted by the extensive liner notes with plentiful translations and explanations. It's unlikely that there are many better gifts that one could receive.

You can find Julie's web site here!

Or why not visit Julie's MySpace page here!

The relentless brilliance of this formidable partnership shows no sign of decline with this, their twentieth album, delivering a forceful blow, with a rhetoric and dialogue that connects unreservedly with the mood of the times. Arrogance Ignorance & Greed is an album replete with anger juxtaposed against intimate soul-searching, sometimes exhibiting sinister overtones weighed down by the weary mistrust of an increasingly dishonorable world.

The title track deals short shrift to those who bought about the credit crunch, contrasting the fat cats who escaped with their pensions and worldly possessions, with the sombre proletariat, left behind to deal with the all too real consequences: "you're on your yacht, we're on our knees." Steve Knightley seemingly looks on in dismay and disbelief on "A Thief," where the looting of the stricken Napoli on Devon's coast, showed how easily the unsavoury side of everyday folk can surface, causing Knightley to question the values of the public: "scratch Joe Public, what's underneath / a looter, and a pirate and a thief." Political musings are not confined solely to the here and now, with an impassioned reading of Bob Dylan's "Señor," casting a scathing eye over US attitudes towards Latin America in the 1970s.

"IED: Science Or Nature" is a devastatingly effective marriage of personal and global tragedy, looking at split-second, random events that can shatter the worlds of those caught in their wake, be it the biological clock ticking away in our bodies, the lapsed concentration of a fatigued motorist, or the indiscriminate target of a rooftop sniper. Knightley sings with an eerie precision and resolve on a song that puts the fear of God in you, the more you dwell on its lyrics.

A couple of the nation's traditional treasures receive due attention, with strikingly contrasting results. The opening track, "Lowlands," is presented as a hauntingly understated piece with beautiful vocal harmonies to the fore, whilst "The Keys Of Canterbury" emerges as a rousing, dark tale of great splendour, with a stylishly contemporary arrangement. The latter is performed as a duet between Knightley's robust vocals and the silky, sultry vocals of Jackie Oates.

Whilst the attitude and anger tend to take centre stage, there are more reflective moments on Arrogance Ignorance & Greed that carry equal power. Phil Beer's evocative reading of Peter Gabriel's "Secret World" showcases his remarkably sensitive vocals, while Knightley's "Drift" casts a perceptive eye at the isolation and helplessness that are endured when spending prolonged periods of time in hospital. "The Man I Was" delves deep in to the emotions of the male psyche, looking back with regret, and trying hard to convince a loved one that those reckless days are indeed consigned to history: "it's over now it breaks my heart because / the man you see is not the man I was."

Stu Hannah has done a splendid job with the production, giving equal prominence to the contemporary rhythms of Knightley's rock-attitude delivery, and the stylish acoustic ornamentations of Phil Beer. That an album manages to deliver such volume whilst retaining such a vibrant, acoustic soul is a real accomplishment, and allows for a pleasurable listen, with bountiful detail to admire.

With Arrogance Ignorance & Greed, Show of Hands undoubtedly reaffirm their position as one of Britain's most adept musical forces, with Steve Knightley's song writing warranting particular praise for its social conscience and emotive empathy. This is music of which a nation should justly be proud. Have these guys been knighted yet?

Visit the Show Of Hands web site here!

Visit the Show Of Hands MySpace page here!

Pulling Threads is the charming début album from Irish singer, Michelle Burke, who is currently lead singer with the long established group, Cherish The Ladies. The album offers a collection of beautifully arranged material, wrapped up in an assured femininity. Produced by Lau's Aidan O'Rourke, and featuring an array of the finest musicians from the Scottish folk scene, Pulling Threads leaves nothing to chance, with arrangements that embrace the material's folk roots without shying away from more creative leanings. Classy piano melodies sit alongside unpretentious acoustic guitar, with occasional luscious string arrangements, all perfectly understated, and contributing perfectly to the art of both singer and writer.

The star attraction is of course Burke's effortless and placid voice, with its distinctive Irish diction. You really get the impression that Burke is holding plenty back here, and that she could really belt out a tune should she wish. Instead we hear beautifully reserved and refined vocal performances, with Burke exploring subtle nuances in both the melodies and pronunciation of the lyrics.

Burke's keen ear for a good song pays dividends throughout. "Hey Mama," by Edinburgh song writer Sandy Wright, is the perfect blend of tenderness, heartache and hopelessness, with the harmonies of Karine Polwart and Kris Drever lending a rousing, spiritual chorus. Burke's lead vocals ensure that this story of a death row inmate is treated with utmost dignity, painting a harrowing picture of despair and regret. With the right exposure, this song might well be Burke's calling card.

Songs by esteemed writers such as Bob Dylan and Tom Waits also get Burke's sensitive treatment. Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" is successfully tamed and its full poetic beauty is realised with Burke's evocative reading over a fluid piano. Waits' "Broken Bicycles" is treated to a more fragmented arrangement that gives a haunting edge, befitting of the lyrics, and allowing Burke to turn in a vocal performance laced with a pensive torment.

Burke's measured expressiveness lends itself well to traditional material, and the opening track, "Molly Bawn," is much enlightened by her lucid interpretation, evoking the stark and brutal tragedy of the story. In contrast, while not being traditional, although dating from the late nineteenth century, "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" finds Burke at her most tender, with a heartfelt reading over Kris Drever's acoustic guitar that rescues the song from its habitually clichéd associations.

Pulling Threads celebrates the emergence of an impressive interpreter of songs, that will likely have song writers around the globe queueing up to get the Burke treatment. I think I want to hear her have a crack at every song in my CD collection!

Visit Michelle's web site here

Visit Michelle's MySpace page here

Wendy Arrowsmith moves forward in leaps and bounds on her second album, Seeds of Fools, sounding ever more comfortable and confident. Exploring the lower registers of her voice, Wendy reveals gorgeously moody and stirring tones, that are put to particularly good use when instilling life in the six traditional songs included here. This is evident from the opening track, a stunning interpretation of "The Blacksmith," where Wendy manages to instil equal amounts of longing and rage. The Child ballad "Cruel Mother" receives a similarly rich and dramatic vocal treatment, with Rebekah Findlay's haunting fiddle arrangement and the ominously menacing beat of Joolz Cavell's congas furthering the brooding atmosphere.

Wendy's own song writing is also much to the fore on Seeds of Fools, and the well-chosen title track is a perfect example of the frankness and sense of justice with which Wendy writes, telling of the passing of prejudices from one generation to the next, all in the name of love: "prejudice is like a seed when watered, it grows strong / so mothers love your children, and teach them all the rules / help them sow the seeds of love / not reap the seeds of fools." Wendy expresses her own motherly instincts in her lullaby "Counting Dolphins," punctuating her soothing vocals with a gently hypnotic mandolin. "Sleep Well 'till Morning" is a similar song of comfort for the son of a fisherman, where Wendy manages to write a song that skilfully bridges the gap between the traditional and contemporary.

I favoured the tracks with minimal accompaniment where Wendy's voice doesn't strain to reach over the instrumentation, and she is able to achieve a more relaxed vocal. In particular, Wendy delivers a wonderful unaccompanied performance of Burns' "John Anderson" that demonstrates both control and serenity, offering a beautiful stillness and possessing almost hymn-like qualities.

Seeds of Fools is sure to command further attention, with both Wendy's writing and performance being worthy of wider recognition, and likely to ensure that she becomes a mainstay of the folk scene.

Visit Wendy's web site here!

Visit Wendy on MySpace here!

Boo Hewerdine has been writing and performing in the more interesting margins of the UK music scene for over twenty years now, attracting something of a cult following, that more recently appears to be gathering momentum. Hewerdine has always appeared to command the respect of those in the music industry, and his associations with the likes of Eddi Reader and Clive Gregson, whose work similarly defies categorisation, offers a good indication as to what you can expect here, in terms of both style and quality.

"Geography" opens the album with four minutes of the most perfect acoustic pop you could imagine: wonderfully light and nimble guitar picking, the lazy pluck of a banjo, a breezy accordion, expressive percussion, and Heidi Talbot's assuredly beautiful harmonies. Even the more melancholy of Hewerdine's songs are like a tonic, such as on "Soul Mate" where the gentle and soothing tone of his voice provides a welcoming reassurance.

"Rags" and "It's A Beautiful Night" are probably about as close to a torch ballad as you're likely to hear from Hewerdine, lacking the camp melodrama of Rufus Wainwright, though nonetheless possessing a subtle flamboyance, with Hewerdine's beautifully understated delivery seeking affinity with the listener.

For me, the opening line to "You and Me" provides one small yet significant moment: "and the sky is paintbox blue." It may seem like a throwaway line of little consequence, yet Hewerdine delivers it with such expressiveness, that you're immediately transported to a sweeping watercolour vista. And it's this thought that may provide the perfect analogy: with God Bless The Pretty Things, Hewerdine offers a sound whose overall subtlety belies the precision of its many parts, with a beauty that might well be described as aural watercolour.

Visit Boo's web site here!

Visit Boo's MySpace page here!

Beneath The Black Tree is an album of music that is as stark and beautiful as the imposing silhouetted tree and brooding, cloud-laden sky that graces the album artwork. Wyke and Driscoll's combination of fiddle and viola bring an alluring depth to this collection of primarily traditional material, with the full-bodied resonance of the viola adding a particular elegance and intensity. Andy Seward's double bass further heightens the potency, whilst varied and inventive percussion from Keith Angel provides an occasional contemporary leaning.

Wyke's bold and commanding voice brings an effortless potency to "Benjamin Bowmaneer," delivered with an authoritative military precision, whilst he sings with more sinister overtones on "The Robber." A mournful glockenspiel brings an eerie atmosphere to "The King Of Poland," played in a particularly redolent manner, before the piece builds to a majestic climax with the rousing warmth of Ellen Driscoll's French horn. There is a typically English feel to "Coronation Day" that perfectly evokes both reverence and regal celebration. Wyke and Driscoll's own compositions nestle comfortably amongst the traditional pieces, with a poise and spirit that is very much the equal of their predecessors.

Beneath The Black Tree succeeds by presenting traditional music through confident and considerate arrangements that avoid ramshackle pastiche, by opting for a refined performance that owes as much to chamber music as it might to folk music. The recording is beautifully open, allowing you to savour each subtle cadence and appreciate the uncluttered interplay between the instruments.

Visit Nick and Becki on MySpace by clicking here!

Driving through Shrewsbury, you are acutely aware of the medieval heritage that surrounds and seduces you, with the ghosts of England's past seeming like the perfect hosts for a celebration of our folk music traditions. Arriving at the festival site, you are immediately enveloped by a relaxed festival atmosphere, with the West Mid Showground taking on the feel of a rural village.

Whilst the festival itself spans four days in total, my visit would be confined to just two afternoons this year, though one shouldn't underestimate just how much entertainment and inspiration was packed in to this relatively short space of time, particularly when that time was filled with such an inspired selection of music.

Breabach were to provide the first music of my Sunday afternoon, with a spirited set of tunes and songs. The combined highland pipes of Calum MacCrimmon and Donal Brown were utterly electrifying, and Donal's step-dancing brought a very visible energy to the band's stage presence. Poor Patsy Reid was unable to lend her vocals to this afternoon's set due to being struck down with the flu, though she still put in a fine, fluid performance on fiddle.

It is testament to the festival committee's temerity, that they have given such prominence to the American singer-songwriter, Krista Detor, both at this year's festival, and as part of the associated Darwin Song Project. Those of us who have already fallen under Krista's enchanting spell are well aware of her eloquent writing talent, and her handsomely expressive vocals, and for those at Shrewsbury who were unfamiliar with Krista's work, her performances this weekend must have made for a most alluring discovery. Krista made the marquee take on the feel of the most luxurious of concert venues, wrapping her sultry vocals around the most sumptuous ballads you might ever witness. For around an hour, the audience feasted on an emotional upheaval of humour, hope, and heartbreak.

Chris Wood is undoubtedly a national treasure, and to witness this one man playing on the main stage, armed with just his songs and guitar, made for a potent experience. Wood manages to write songs that connect with the national conscience, in a way that maintains a manifest degree of intimacy. His songs bear melodies and structures that owe much to the traditional styles of the British Isles, yet his lyrics speak a language that is very much relevant. His songs of family life chimed a particular resonance and warmed him to an attentive audience, but it was Wood's intense song chronicling the last days of Jean Charles de Menezes that laid bare the nation's shame and despair, to a mixture of discomfort and relief from the audience; discomfort from the acceptance that such a thing could happen in our own country, and relief that Wood was giving a frank and honest voice to what many of us have felt.

Returning to the festival on Monday afternoon, I took some time to just mill around the Village Stage and catch a glimpse of the variety of traditional dancing that was being performed, ranging from sensible and ladylike, to somewhat lewd and bawdy, but always performed in the best of spirits. The effort that these dance troupes put in to making their colourful costumes is nothing compared to the energy they expend during their wholehearted performances, and love 'em or loathe 'em they certainly accentuate the festival atmosphere, and do much to discourage any reservedness that you may feel!

Karine Polwart kicked off the afternoon's music on the main stage, where she was warmly welcomed by a rapturous, near-capacity crowd; accompanied by the solid guitar and vocals of her brother, Stephen Polwart, and the versatile Inge Thomson, who displayed her typically intuitive accompaniment and sang like an absolute angel. You could really appreciate the wide appeal of Karine's songs when you saw the reaction of the large festival audience, many of whom were applauding the opening chords to the songs they recognised. There were audience members of all ages enthusiastically singing along, heightening the sense that Karine really is one of the seminal songwriters of our time, with a body of songs that is cherished by an increasing number of admirers. A healthy dose of modesty meant that Karine faced the crowd with just a little bemusement, and looked genuinely surprised whenever her songs raised a cheer.

Megson proved to a laid-back audience why they are widely regarded as one of the folk scene's rising stars with their exquisitely crafted, catchy folk-pop. They brought a finely tuned illumination to some old folk ballads, but it was their own songs that really roused the audience with winsome harmonies and bewitching choruses. In particular "Fell To The Breeze" hinted at their potential for wider appeal beyond the folk genre with a summery radiance that you couldn't fail to be captivated by! Megson also provide a welcome change by singing proudly in their gorgeous Teeside accents, rather than opting for the usual mid-Atlantic drawl to which many singers seem to descend these days.

My visit to Shrewsbury was rounded off by Irish stalwarts Patrick Street, a group whose members possess renowned individual talent, that is surpassed only by their combined efforts. It was magical to witness these legends of traditional music whipping up a storm on the main stage, playing with an enviable zest and spirit. Patrick Street demonstrated an impressive intricacy thanks to the mesmerising string work of Andy Irvine and Arty McGlynn. Kevin Burke put in an effortless performance on fiddle, whilst John Carty's combination of versatility and virtuosity ensured that no style or pace was beyond their reach. Patrick Street are a group who remind you that, most of all, traditional music really can be unbelievably great fun!

The fact that this year's Shrewsbury Folk Festival was sold out well before the weekend itself speaks volumes, and demonstrates why this offers a genuinely unmissable event on the folk festival calendar. All involved in staging this event should be heartily congratulated!

You can see more of my photos from Shrewsbury Folk Festival here!