Oysterband - Diamonds on the Water (2014)

"Ragged Kingdom", Oysterband's reunion collaboration, with the English folk legend June Tabor, was fROOTS Critics' Poll Album of the Year, Mojo Folk Album of the Year, won three BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and saw the group featured on Later… With Jools (BBC2 TV). After two years touring that project, Oysterband is now very happy to announce a new Oysterband studio album, "Diamonds On The Water", to be released on 17 February 2014 - their first new collection of original songs in seven years. "It was time", says fiddler Ian Telfer, "to get back to some of the other things we do best - make new music and get out there on the road." And in fact they will be touring full-on in UK through November 2013 and February/March 2014. These are the first Oysterband recordings since the departure of Ray "Chopper" Cooper to pursue a solo career. Al Scott, the band's long-time producer, has stepped in on bass and mandolin. What has emerged with these new recordings is a feeling of warmth, both musical and personal, that makes the songs come alive.