Distant Shore

Karan Casey is one of those rare singers whose voice is such a beautifully pristine instrument that she could make the direst rubbish sound heartfelt and poignant. Happily, such feats aren’t necessary here: for her third solo album, she’s once again chosen material worthy of the gift she posesses, not least of which is a self-penned number, ‘Quiet Of The Night’ – the first she’s recorded. Elsewhere, there are songs by the likes of Tim O’Brien, Billy Bragg and the writing team of Louis de Paor and John Spillane (who joins her for a duet, as does Karen Matheson of the Scottish band Capercaillie). Multi-instrumentalist Donald Shaw, also of Capercaillie, produced this CD, but the overall feel is more Tennessee bluegrass than Highland thistle, thanks to the presence of five-string banjo player Dirk Powell on a number of tracks