This week's Traditional CDs reviewed.

CARA DILLON
Hill of Thieves Charcoal***

Motherhood has wrought some fine changes on the music of Cara Dillon, whose latest collection is pared back and stripped down but still defined by her hallmark pinprick precision. Acoustically bare-boned arrangements from Dillon's partner, Sam Lakeman, are a fitting backdrop to her still crystalline vocals, and she shimmers particularly on a light- fingered reading of Spencer the Rover. What disappoints is the predictability of some of the song selections, which include The Parting Glassand She Moved Through the Fair. Questionable, too, is her voice's suitability to
the Johnny, Lovely Johnny. Still, Dillon's own Hill of Thievesis a fine-boned addition to the folk canon, with particularly beautiful whistle from Flook's Brian Finnegan. A safe and sporadically soaring return to the studio. www.caradillon.com SIOBHÁN LONG

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