Album of the Weed

Pop music aesthetics and middle-ground marketing demand that traditional albums increasingly involve, to paraphrase one-time Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, the "alien creeds and philosophies" of electronic manipulation. Matt Molloy in this, his fourth album, demurs magnificently. Sparse cello, occasional harp, an economical Arty McGlynn guitar, brief fiddle unison - all delicately adorn a central, solo, core of concert and Bb flutes. Yet there isn't a hint of tedium mood alters fluidly and imperceptibly through air, jig, hornpipe and polka, and the centrepiece Music of the Seals suite simply "happens" in graceful continuum.

Great pitch and tone variation in this narrative piece accent "air" to dance-tempo mood-swings, call-and-response cello, Scottish Western isles matched voice both create perspective. His hall-mark "slow reel" is the recurring solo strength - Morning Thrush a sweet opener - but still it is his expert way with Roscommon drive that stamps the disc. Mulhaire's is a splendid piece of reserved fingering, Sky/ark lets him go in full, yelping lash, and the six-part Mason's Apron is a brilliant palette of style, timbre, ornament and creativity. All constitute a fine exploration of the simple-system concert flute as instrument, most eloquently stated in the Baroque splendour of Wind In The Woods, most imaginatively in unison with the Paddy Rafferty's creamy, burbling lilting.