Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Album: Ar Uair Bhig An Lae (The Small Hours)
Label: Muna
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.muireann.ie

Co. Kerry-born Muireann has been charming audiences in her role as principal singer with the band Danú for quite a number of years now, yet out of the band context, surprisingly, she's only released two solo records (Daybreak came out in 2006, while The Small Hours was released just a couple of months back) and the acclaimed Dual album (in company with Éamon Doorley, Julie Fowlis and Ross Martin).

In 2011, Muireann was the proud recipient of the coveted Gradaim Ceoil TG4 Singer of the Year award, and her latest release builds on that success with a strong collection of songs delivered both in English and Irish (the balance is tipped just marginally in favour of the latter amongst the disc's eleven tracks). The former category includes especially persuasive, miraculously poised renditions of Kate Burke's Gold Hills, the traditional The Leaving Of Limerick, Peadar Kearney's The Bold Fenian Men and Cork songwriter Ger Wolfe's exquisite A Single Thread, but it's arguably in the Irish-language material that Muireann knowingly excels, as you'll hear in her wonderfully wrought interpretations of the 19th century sean-nós song 'S Ar Maidin Moch is Mé ar mo Leabain Bhoig and the beautiful love song An Clár Bog Déil (sung unaccompanied, and a rapt treat to close the disc) in particular.

In order to realise her special interpretive vision, Muireann's gathered around her a small and expert ensemble comprising some of the finest musicians Ireland can muster: Gerry O'Beirne (guitars), James Blennerhasset (bass), Michael Rooney (harp), Mick Kinsella (harmonica), Liam Flanagan (banjo) and Billy Mag Fhloinn (bodhrán), with fiddle supremo Oisín McAuley taking additional responsibility for the luscious yet understated string arrangements. There's not a disappointing track here, and I can only judge The Small Hours a resounding success and definitely worth the extremely long wait since Dual (let alone Daybreak). Seek it out - and soon!

(Distributed by Copperplate www.copperplateconsultants.com)

David Kidman