The Cedars
Album: Little Copper Still
Label: Clubhouse
Tracks: 13
Website: http://www.thecedarsonline.com

The cross pollination of music back and forth across the Atlantic has brought about a continued evolution, folk music begat mountain music, begat blues, begat country, begat Americana etc. You may disagree with the route, but it's hard to argue with the principle. I think the next generation of sound is here and at its forefront are The Cedars.

Hands up I can't deny that at its core "Little Copper Still" is an Americana album, a lot of the place references are US based, but there is also undoubtedly something in the sound that makes you think that this is an album that may be looked back on as genre adapting.

It may simply be the stunning vocal performance of Chantal Hill. Her voice that, whilst it carries emotion as surely as the river carries water to the sea, does it in a way that lets you know that here is a singer that is not going to wallow in sentimental self-pity, she's a person with the strength to fight her corner and though, in some songs she may end up defeated, she's no victim.

You only have to listen to the more spiritual songs like, "Withering Pines" to know that you have a singer and band that perform with the passion and zeal of a Hyde Park Preacher offering redemption one minute and hell the next.

This is an album of thirteen songs and it's an incredibly strong songbook. From the opening notes of "Blood And Wine" to the fading chords of "Annie" this is an album that will move you and if it doesn't the undertaker will.

"Little Copper Still" from The Cedars, I've seen the Promised Land brothers and sisters and rest assured, it's paradise.

Neil King