Folan & Davey: Skin and Bow, (Sound Records)
There's an odd, off-kilter minimalism to the arrangements between these two: Declan Folan's spiky, creative fiddle with an old-style ranginess beyond his years, and the cascading thumpets of Junior Davey's bodhrans; the pair occasionally nursed around the bends by Shane McGowan's guitar, or joined by Junior's father, fiddler Andy Davey. It's not quite Cosey Powell, but there's even a slick, entertaining bodhran solo in the vein of Tommy Hayes to warm up a Donegal reel, with Folan demonstrating his north-western bow work. There is the odd nod to modernity, like the sugary new slow reel Natural Progression but, once again, this local Sligo label proves it has a nose for the genuine, eccentric article.
By Mic Moroney
Larry de Cleir: The Dog That Heard the Bell, (Bell Music)
Never mind murder and mayhem: a deep patriotic fetish for the Shannon and all things Limerick inspires this humorist balladeer, in a genre close to Christy Moore and English folk guitar. He tends to write, sing, and play all instruments (guitars, twinkly keyboards, ragged whistles, bluesy harmonica, etc) - a studio universe populated only by himself and his place-name songs of dole and love, Williamite ballad spoofs, or unusual old truffles like The Siege of Clampbett's Bow. Apart from sampling the lapping Shannon, he even whistles a hornpipe and a couple of his own wayward jigs. Diverting and very musical, if you can avoid baulking at the cheesier aspects of pride in the Treaty Stone.
By Mic Moroney