Top Folk & Acoustic Albums of 2017

I've put together my list of favourite albums of the year. As ever, thanks go to the promoters and artists who have sent me cds and free downloads. Along with the albums listed below I should mention a couple of releases which were made up of just a few tracks - they might have been called EPs back in the days of vinyl - namely 'Five Songs' by Barbara Dickson and 'The Wren And The Salt Air' by Jenny Sturgeon.

2017 must be the first year in quite a long time that I didn't make it to any music festivals apart from the one here in Lancaster. I've only been to about a dozen gigs this year but most have been very enjoyable, the best being the Pitmen Poets, Breabach, John Doyle, Jamie Smith's Mabon, The Young 'Uns, Rory McLeod and Edgelarks. 

My favourite album and gig would probably go to The Young 'Uns as I was blown away by their harmony singing when they came to the Dukes Theatre here in Lancaster and their album "Strangers" is packed full of brilliant songs. 

Top UK Albums 

Ross Ainslie - Sanctuary
The Deadly Winters - Ravynstoun

Amy Duncan - Antidote

Robert Foster - Raven

Peter Knight's Gigspanner - The Wife of Urban Law

Rosie Hood - The Beautiful & The Actual

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys - Pretty Peggy

Geoff Lakeman - After All These Years

Madam Tsunami - Long Way From Home

Siobhan Miller - Strata

Moonlight Gazette - Moonlight Gazette

Damien O'Kane - Avenging & Bright
Oka Vanga - Dance Of The Copper Trail

Old Blind Dogs - Room With A View

Skinner & T'witch - The Fool's Journey

Turnstone - Hollow Ground

The Young 'Uns - Strangers 

Top Albums from North America

Bruce Cockburn - Bone On Bone 
Brigitte DeMeyer & Will Kimbrough - Mockingbird Soul
Stephen Fearing - Every Soul's a Sailor
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors - Souvenir
Steve Hussey & Jake Eddy - The Miller Girl 

https://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

CB
Lancaster, UK