Cathy Jordan

All the Way HomeBlix Street Records ***

This is an intensely personal solo debut from Dervish's singer, bones player and raconteur. Reaching deep into her childhood for songs of home, Cathy Jordan revitalises a number of hackneyed tales, starting with The Bold Fenian Men. Jordan and Swedish producer Roger Tallroth (of longtime Dervish collaborators Väsen) breathe life into the songs with imaginative arrangements that prick at the heart of the lyrics. Faint traces of Dervish can be found in Liam Kelly's agile flute, but Jordan charts new waters with cello, nykelharpa, the mandocello and the bouzouki of Andy Irvine – and the killer punch: guest vocalist Eddi Reader. Whether some of her repertoire will find purchase with new audiences is questionable, but Jordan's lodged a bold salvo, co-writing four songs with a confidence that hints at a musician alive to possibilities. cathyjordan.com

Download track:The Lark in the Clear Air