Louise Jordan
Album: Florilegium
Label: Azania
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.louisejordan.co.uk

With the exception of the Greek rooted title, "Florilegium" (flawruh-lee-jee-uhm), meaning a gathering of flowers, Wiltshire Rose, Louise Jordan has delivered a sophomore album that is full of traditional style English riches that by and large she penned, arranged, produced and performed herself. The two exceptions being "I Know Where I'm Going" and "Promises Like Pie-Crust", which sees Louise working with the words of no less a talent as Christina Rosetti.

"Florilegium" is an album recorded by an artist that is totally confident of their ability as both writer and performer and consequently it's got a very natural flow to it, this is not just a gathering of songs as suggested by the title, rather an album that pulls them into a bouquet to show them at their best and even then not a formal bouquet, but one that sits in a kitchen jug to brighten up the home, from the garden and the hedgerow rather than the greenhouse.

In some ways, it's "Promises Like Pie-Crusts" that provides the key to the album, this is about taking words and giving them context, something Louise has absorbed from the wider range of influence from performing and arranging a greater array of traditional folk songs on previous releases.

There were a couple of occasions where I found myself convinced that I was listening to a traditional song only to admonish myself, because it was live and radio performances that had introduced me to the numbers before the album arrived.

Louise Jordan mixes in the hope with the heartbreak, personal and songs that reflect wider events. The arrangements are simple and delicate, no more than voice, guitar, piano and cello and rarely, if at all, at the same time, but it's all that's required to deliver an album that fascinates as well as entertains.

"Florilegium" is what folk music's about. It's an album that's proud to be what it is, beautifully written and without affectation. There's a song, "Wild Rose" about half way through and that's a grand description for the album, implying an untamed spirit and that's more than enough for me.

Neil King