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Album:Songs To Save A Life

Website: www.samaritans.org/support_samaritans/donate.aspx

There's a very serious purpose to "Songs To Save A Life" and that's to raise money for the Samaritans to fund their twenty four hour, three hundred and sixty five days a year hot line and other projects aimed at trying to turn around the lives of people whoformany different reasons are desperately struggling to cope. Arguably for that reason alone, you should buy a copy of this album, but there's a number of other reasons, including the choice of songs and covers. KT Tunstall's version of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" provides a great moment amongst many.

Album:Stuck In This Ocean

Label:Play It Again Sam

Website: http://www.airshipband.com

"Stuck In This Ocean" sees us making one of our occasional forays into indie rock, albeit a very melodic one. Airship are supporting the album with extensive touring both in their native UK and on the continent, keeping them busy pretty much from now until the other side of November. They've got a lot to be proud of. The album is well crafted with strong songs and I found myself being reminded of an early Simple Minds, though with more of a kicking edge to the sound. At times this is quite a dark album, almost gothic in terms of theme, though not sound.

Album:Speeding Ticket And A Valentine

Label:Ninth Street Opus

Website: http://www.blamesally.com

Until I read the blurb that came with "Speeding Ticket And A Valentine", I hadn't realised just how prolific Blame Sally have been in their ten odd year history, looks like I've got some catching up to do if the band's previous output is as strong as this one. The band are a four piece that were in their thirties and forties when they first put the band together. Some of the band have teenage kids, encountered 'grown up' problems and put them into song. It's a mature country rock band that comes out, resplendent in beautiful harmonies and lessons from the school of hard knocks.

Album:Top Of The Old Road

Website: http://www.myspace.com/brothersreid

This album has been spending a great deal of time in my car, "Top Of The Old Road" is a great album to eat up the motorway to. There's a bit of an adult orientated rock feel in amongst the more Cetic influenced blues-rock sound sort of Fleetwood Mac meets Runrig. Brothers Reid have found a sound that's very easy to listen to without becoming too poppy. There's a clear Scots root in the influences as well as descriptions any band that uses the term moothy for a gob iron is wearing their hearts on their sleeves and good on them, they've delivered a great album.

Album:O Brother Where Art Thou? Deluxe Edition

Website: Wikipedia for a link somewhere

Frighteningly it's been ten years since the hit movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and it's almost iconic sound track so with the music industry celebrating aniversaries of albums on a more and more regular basis, it was inevititable that the event would be marked with a deluxe edition. As with all limited editions, the question is, "Is there enough here to tempt cash out of the pockets of those that already have the album?" My initial reaction is probably not, especially if you've already forked out for the live concert cd. This is good, but it ain't that good, unless this breaks your duck.

Album:The Wasted Ocean

Website: http://www.annacoogan.com

To buy an album without having read any reviews requires a certain amount of faith in your chosen artist. To buy an album before a note has been recorded requires real dedication. With "The Wasted Ocean" Anna Coogan joins the growing number of acts that has funded her new album with the support of fans. If past performance is a guide, then this album was a good bet. One time opera singer, turned to Americana, Anna Coogan has a great reputation for songs that are bathed in the emotions delivered by a voice that is trained for feelings as well as words. Faith definitely justified.

Website: http://www.kyleannecarey.com

There is a real and rare elegance to the music of Kyle Carey, rich in the sounds of Appalachian poetry that has been distilled through Irish prose to give a hint of Celtic running through an album that draws a lot on American folk history. There is something in Carey's voice that almost feels at odds with the content of the songs and yet is the ideal compliment, almost like a wayward daughter being lead off the beaten track in her quest for inspiration and kindred spirits. "Monongah" a sheer delight of an album, strong songs, great muscianship and a voice that delivers free spirit.

Website: http://www.fribo.co.uk

There are a number of great collaborations going on between Scottish musicians and their Scandinavian counterparts and one that I've been particularly excitied by since discovering them at Cambridge Folk Festival is Fribo. The name means open house and it seems like a good one as this four piece seem very open to ideas and influences on their debut album, "Happ" that was released earlier this year. It's an eclectic collection of songs and tunes that seem to want to welcome you with open arms and let you fully embrace them. Stunning debut.

Album:Dead Man's Hand

Website: http://www.harpethrising.com

"Dead Man's Hand" is an album rooted in the American songbook tradition, but neatly mixing in modernity with the songs inspired by the past. Harpeth Rising also manage to get the balance of sense and sentmentality absolutely bang on. It's all too easy to tip into smaltz when dealing with issues like an old favourite car. Case in point is "Tough As Nails(Love Song For A Toyota Corolla)" about a vehicle that saw the band through their early years. It's bright and entertaining without ever becoming mawkish. Well performed and easy to relate to.

David Kosky And Damien O'Kane

Album:The Mystery Inch

Website: http://www.purerecords.net

"The Mystery Inch" is an album that was about three days in the making and four yearsin the delivery and is an album that in many ways I wish there were more of. It's album recorded by two friends, guitarist David Kosky and banjo player extrordinaire Damien O'Kane, almost just for the sake of it. Pretty much the album was recorded session style, a decision on which tunes to go for and dive on in. Predominently, the album is recorded as a duo, but they are joined by the likes of John-Joe Kelly and Danny Cameron for a couple of tracks. An album you can feel the joy of it's creation in.

Website: http://www.tomrussell.com

I'm a real Tom Russell fan, he's one of my favourite songwriters, so I was surprised that the main emotion I felt upon first playing "Mesabi" was disappointment. It's a rare event for me when listening to an album, especially when that album is better than a lot of Americana/country that comes through the office. Russell is a real wordsmith, a man that writes thought provoking songs, captures snippets of life and turns them into short stories, generally I've found it easy to relate to the man and his songs. This album took me longer than usual to find that connection, but it's there.

Website: http://www.charliesimpsonmusic.com

George Michael famously released an album "Listin Without Predjudice" and I found myself having to do that with "Young Pilgrim" the debut album from Fightstar lead singer Charlie Simpson. His solo release sees him following a more folk rock/pop approach than has with either Fightstar or Busted. There is actually a lot to recommend the album, which feels like an artist getting in touch with songs and themes that seem to matter to them and as such sounds quite fresh. The production is a lot more sparse than I anticipated allowing the singer and songs to become the focus.