II Guidewires Music***

There's a lot going on this follow-up to Guidewires' sparkling 2009 debut, Live. This collection is driven by the band's affinity with Breton music (with the odd Scottish, Castilian and Donegal influence tossed into the mix), with a healthy dose of original tunes showcasing a rich seam of creativity from concertina player Pádraig Rynne and fiddle player Tola Custy. Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill makes a guest appearance on vocals and keyboards on two songs, The Selkieand Mo Mhaire. These contributions, laden with Donegal influences, jar against the arrangements of much of the rest of the collection. The band succeeds best where it lets individual instruments (particularly concertina and fiddle) do the talking. Much of the ensemble playing is highly competent but formulaic, echoing too many bands that have gone before. See guidewiresmusic.com

Download track: Buoy M5, Caoimhín