Carol's first three solo albums were released on Philo in the mid/late nineties, after a few years break she has returned with an album with a more acoustic feel to these earlier releases.
'Self Titled' is a balanced mix of her own work, traditional songs and well chosen covers, but everything gels together so well it's difficult to see the joins between the three. The albums standouts are both her own songs, 'Leather Gloves' is a murder ballad that sounds so convincingly traditional I re-read the booklet to double check the writing credits, and 'Just Because' an atmospheric and emotional track with excellent lyrics and a haunting melody. Considering the excellent list of musicians includes Duke Levine, Stephanie Winters and Kevin Barry, the album has a very British feel, at times her vocals are reminiscent of Sandy Denny, and the unfussy instrumentation and subtle production allow Carol's expressive vocals to stand out. 
'Self Titled' is a brilliant example of a modern folk album, mixing contemporary and traditional songs without compromising either style; it's full of first class performances and is superbly recorded.
This is easily one of the best discs we've had through our doors in the past two years - highly recommended.

£12.99