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Mat Walklate is known for playing with blues band "The Moocher's whom we featured previously. This is an all together different affair focusing on his love and skill within traditional Irish music. On flute, harmonica, whistle and vocals. The album opens with the The Narky Fiddler/Mayfield/Listen to Ralph" which merges three polkas one of which is inspired by a Curtis Mayfield song. Walklate is joined by musicians such guitarist and vocalist Matt Fahey fellow flutist Ben Walker and highly respected fiddler Andrew Dinan among others.Mainly instrumental with both original and traditional compositions a stand out track is probably "Through the door/out in the bay/the Loach under the bridge" inspired by a trip to Donegal bay more info www.matwalklate.co.uk

Burach have been making their brand of Scottish style roots music for over a decade now. The they do it as successfully as bands such as, Hot House Flowers and The Waterboys do with Irish music and Americana. It is probably why they have such an international appeal, playing live every where from Thailand to Russia. The bands longest standing member is the much acclaimed accordion player Sandy Brechin, and his playing is strident throughout. This five piece band boast four songwriters writing songs that can be very traditional such as "First Light, Best in Sack (Worst in Spoon)" and Abby's Jig, the Jilting. Then there's the rootys sounding tracks such as "The fool inside" and "A man divided"

Jess Klein sixth album City Garden has the best roots sound of any album I've heard this year. Klein said she wanted to get something primal akin to the recordings of last centuries blues men Leadbelly and Robert Johnson. Well she's certainly achieved this right from the opening track "blood, sweat, tears" driven guitar and gospel chorus. This album is risky up on a high wire listen to the raw intimacy of "all i ever had", it's right their in the hours after a break up when emotions are most tort. Klein captures this moment so perfectly you feel a slight embarrassment witnessing such a public display of private grief. Then there's sassy tracks like the sensual "make love" or the punky "world could end" This is an essential roots album.

Michael Powers second album does a great job of making the blues accessible without "Throwing the baby out with the bath water". This authenticity is maintained by the raw sound created by the band's, stripped down drums, bass and guitar with Power's rasping vocals underpinning it all. Power's debut of last year "Onyx Root" is real triumph that demands your attention from start to finish. Here the spiritual themes of compassion and forgiveness make for some inspiring listening not least the juxtaposition of the brooding ,angst of the track "Prodigal Son" , against the delicate intricacy of the song simply called, "Compassion" . This is blues for the 21 Century.

Brett Dennen's sophomore album almost buckles under the weight of his ideas, clever rhyming couplets flash by like particles in a meteor shower. Musically it's very rich too wavering between the Americana of tracks such as Ain 't No Reason and the almost "world music" feel of "Darlin Do Not Fear". Then, there's jazz inflected tracks such as "She's Mine" that sounds a little like Jack Johnson .Shifting between tales of love and a needed (into today's times) social conscience, yes it's 1968 in Paris we're throwing bricks at the agents of the perpetrators. Before retreating back to Mimi's for some finest Moroccan and to hear some tunes played by one Brett Dennen.

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