Tine Gheal - Bright Fire

This is Anam's third album in the current phase of their development, which features both major personnel changes and a move away from Irish material towards that of Scotland and Cornwall.

'Sheehan's Reel' provides the melodic background to the opening, while title track sets some of the tone for the rest of the album, its Caribbean flavour suggesting a meeting between 'S.E. Rozie' and a half-demented ciilm band, with cracking vocal harmonies to boot.

Thereafter things begin to take an even more definitive shape, Anna-Wendy Stevenson's fiddle leading off a clutch of reels. Anam's songwriting strength is pointed up to great effect with the truly marvellous 'Will You Break My Heart', composed by Brian o hEadhra, which could well attract several covers in the next couple of years. Equally, 'Mhurchaidh Bhig' shows the range and power of Fiona McKenzie's voice to good advantage.

A fine album.