Hammered
There's an audience for every kind of music, I guess, and fans of "folk choir music with hammer dulcimer" will doubtless be pleased with this album by Malcolm Dalglish and the Ooolites. Dalglish is an accomplished player, backed by light percussion, violin, keyboards and guitar. It's the choir of young voices that really stands out. Celestial harmonies rise and fall above shimmering, hammered dulcimer arrangements of traditional folk songs -Scottish, French Canadian and American. "Reel a' Bouche" is a rhythmic charmer; "Woody Knows Nothin'" a joyful jaunt; and "The Selchie and the Fisherman" is truly inspired, an eight-minute epic with singing that calls to mind Enya or the Cocteau Twins. This is great music for this time of year - crisp and autumnal.