SingMermaid Records ****

There may be people out there who think Maria Doyle Kennedy is chancing her arm here – an established actor with an armful of successful screen credits putting her voice to some tunes in the hope it will bring her hip credibility. In point of fact, Doyle Kennedy was making music and writing songs long before she ever appeared on screen, and Sing is unquestionably her finest musical achievement to date. With a duration of just 35 minutes, the album certainly doesn't tax your patience, but it's quality that's crucial here, not quantity. There's a sinuous, lean aspect to the songs that makes them seem almost otherworldly, a quality enhanced by Doyle Kennedy's superb vocals, which infuse tracks such as Am I Choosing Right, The Silence, Sing from the Sea and Yes We Will with a character that's equal parts tough and delicate. mariadoylekennedy.com

Download tracks: The Silence, Sing from the Sea, Yes We Will