Full Review

Heidi Talbot – In Love & Light

Although this is Heidi’s second solo album, she’s best know to many as lead singer in the Irish-American group Cherish the Ladies; while as a group they tend to work through a traditional set of songs and tunes, on her solo disc Heidi is very much a contemporary folk artist as she mixes her traditional roots with more modern songs.

The list of musicians providing the backing across the 12 tracks reads like a who’s who of modern folk musicians including, amongst others, John McCusker, John Doyle, Michael McGoldrick, Eddi Reader, Kris Drever, Andy Seward and Boo Hewardine. As you’d expect from such a stellar cast list, the quality of the musicianship is exceptional and the low-key production from Hewardine is beautiful balanced and always makes Talbot’s voice the focus of attention.

Her vocals are beautifully smooth and expressive, with the subtlest of Irish twangs – it’s the perfect voice for an album of this style, imagine Alison Krauss transported to Ireland and you’d be somewhere close.

The mixture of modern and traditional is well balanced with a couple of Hewardine songs and a Waits cover mixing with ‘Bedlam Boys’ and ‘Blackest Crow’ (a superb duet with Kris Drever).

‘In Love & Light’ is an excellent modern folk album, the musicians are amongst the finest in the world, Talbot’s voice is honeyed and effortless, and the mixture of songs work well. It’s a surprisingly low-key and quiet disc, but one full of class and real quality.