Malinky: Handsel

Malinky’s sixth album is a 20th anniversary gift—or handsel—to the award-winning ensemble’s legions of fans and to the Scots-language folk tradition its members faithfully serve. Co-founder Steve Byrne sums up the band’s ethos: “Dig where you stand,” stressing the importance of local song, culture and history to communal and individual confidence. Under that four-word banner is Handsel’s stunning detail: a two-volume, 27-song collection of new … More Malinky: Handsel

Claire Hastings: Between River and Railway

No single album can capture the entire arc of Scotland’s musical culture, but there is a breathtaking sweep to what Claire Hastings accomplishes in the 10 tracks of her debut album. She gambols across time and space (from 17th-century hillside to 20th-century factory); weaves between joy and heartbreak; blends traditional songs with her own masterful lyrics and music; contributes a new melody to a poem by her Dumfries townsman … More Claire Hastings: Between River and Railway