She may be an Irish singer from County Kildare, who first\nattracted attentions while working with the celebrated\nIrish-American group Cherish the Ladies, but Heidi Talbot is\nrapidly becoming a key figure in the flourishing and vibrant\nScottish folk scene. She is now based in Edinburgh with her partner\nJohn McCusker, the celebrated multi-instrumentalist who can be\nheard on recordings by artists including The Battlefield Band and\nPaul Weller….. Now, surely, it’s time for Talbot to be recognised\nas a soloist in her own right, and this album – the follow-up to\nher In Love + Light set of two years ago – shows the range in her\ncharmingly low-key approach ….Many of the songs start out\nlow-key, with Talbot singing against an accompaniment of acoustic\nguitars or fiddles, other instruments or backing vocals subtly\njoining in. Her approach is always intimate and often easy-going,\nbut she can switch between different styles.

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Talbot changes direction yet again for sea shanty Sally Brown,\nand for the light but upbeat Bleecker Street, a song about dirty\ntricks by American females of dubious morals. Here, for a change,\nMcCusker allows himself a fine and extended fiddle work-out.
\nThe title-track matches a grand, gentle melody by McCusker against\nher own lyrics, and it’s as effortless and quietly exquisite as the\nfinal track, a revival of Sandy Denny’s emotional ballad At the End\nof the Day. It provides a fitting finale to an engaging and\nimpressive album.

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BBC Review

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