Traditional

The latets releases reviewed.

FRANK HARTE AND DONAL LUNNY There's Gangs of Them Digging Daisy Di scs ****

The roots of Irish labour, the blood, sweat and tears that laid the foundations of our Celtic Tiger, are gathered here with tender loving care by the greatest champion of traditional song, the late Frank Harte. Betraying as close a kinship to Gillian Welch's One More Dollarand John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrathas it does to wretched tales of spailpíní, navvies and labourers from Galbally to Gateshead, Harte completed this erudite collection just days before his unexpected death, and it bears all the hallmarks of his meticulous attention to detail. With typically subtle accompaniment from longtime collaborator Donal Lunny, Harte's beautifully idiosyncratic song choices mine the depths of the human experience, epitomised by the pithily titled Do Me Justice. A must for story lovers and singers alike. www.daisydiscs.com SIOBHÁN LONG

Download tracks: Do Me Justice

THE OUTSIDE TRACK The Outside Track Bedspring Music ***

Sharing a past at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, The Outside Track are a quintet whose roots crisscross Scotland, England, Canada and Ireland. Crystal-clear production values let each instrument breathe clear, so that their eclectic mix of fiddle, flute, box, guitar and clarsach step in and out of the limelight with an agility that leaves ego outside the door. The group's song choices are refreshingly disparate, and a cover of Karine Polwart's Thaneysuggests a hungry spirit, as comfortable dipping into the present as the past. The sheer breadth of The Outside Track's reach swings between cosy erudition and occasional overload (stretching from Cape Breton to Galicia and Ballyvourney), and Alan Jordan's vocals creak unmercifully on Do Thugas Grá Cléibh Duit. A bold repertory that would doubtless benefit from many more airings in a live setting. www.theoutsidetrack.com SIOBHÁN LONG

Download track: Thaney