Dervish - The Thrush In The Storm (2013)

It's been five years since the last studio offering from Irish supergroup Dervish, which makes The Thrush in the Storm one of the most eagerly anticipated Irish albums of 2013. Happily, the wait has been more than worth it. It finds the sextet, fronted by the ever-characterful voice of Cathy Jordan, returning in fine form to their pared-down seisiún (music session) roots. This 12-track set features new material and alternates between instrumentals and vocal tracks (in English and Irish Gaelic). The result is a characteristically elegant blending of tradition with Dervish's own inimitably modern approach.

Four lively jigs and reels get things underway in the quietly virtuosic ‘The Green Gowned Lass’ before Jordan delivers the early standout ‘Baba Chonraoi’, a heart-rending tale of a mistreated girl who does the unimaginable and runs away with English soldiers. At the top of her form, Jordan catches the ear with the jauntily tongue-in-cheek ‘Snoring Biddy’, the sweetly beautiful ‘The Lover's Token’ and the delightfully carefree ‘Handsome Polly-O’ – all backed by precisely pointed accompaniments that brim over with one illuminating detail after another. There's also much to admire in the instrumentals: Shane Mitchell's accordion provides a liquescent undertow, Brian McDonagh's mandolin and Michael Holmes’ bouzouki ink in an understated and exquisite colour palette, Liam Kelly's flute and whistles are airy and articulate, and Tom Morrow's fiddle is a sprightly, dancing presence throughout.