Carrying the TuneBallyO Records ***

Lúnasa's Kevin Crawford doesn't so much carry the tune as hoist it skywards on this, his first solo album in 11 years. Exuberance is at the heart of this collection, with Crawford's antennae for a good tune pitched high. He contributes five originals of his own, alongside a flurry of others' contributions. Mrs Jean Campbell's B Sc is a standout, its free-flowing momentum creating a musical twister with a seductive centrifugal force. John Doyle accompanies on guitar and bouzouki, and while his playing can at times sound jaded, he picks delicately on the back of Queen of May, stitching a pattern into the flighty tune that adds depth and breadth. Crawford's clarity of tone on whistle on the slow air set, The Dear Irish Boy, would cut glass, and the layering of flute on the Bulgarian horo Petko lets his rhythmic sensibilities gleam, underscoring the agility of both instrument and musician. myspace.com/kevincrawfordlunasa.