Hollowbone

"No one has evoked the landscape and traditions of Northumbria more affectingly than Kathryn Tickell; a champion of the Northumbrian pipes, she is steeped in the songs and mythology of the north-east. Although she has issued more than a dozen albums since her 1984 debut, her dedication finds fresh inspiration and expression on Hollowbone, which mixes pipes and fiddles with mandolin, synth and accordion, and leans towards songs and vocals. It's a clever shape-shifter of a record, founded on an exceptional five-piece band but unafraid to veer into a cappella voices and ambient moods".

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"While still managing to underline her virtuosity as the greatest Northumbrian piper of her time, [Tickell] pushes the boat out here in hitherto unimaginable ways. Indeed, you might say this is a rock album of sorts. Well, it has drums (...) - as well as plenty of vocals from Kate Young, Amy Thatcher and Tickell herself ... This is a bold album and perhaps even risky too; [the] strong rhythm line-up ensures things sometimes get fast and furious, although strange and spooky is usually also just around the corner ... Opening track "O-U-T Spells Out" is a formidable statement of intent, driven along by the Thatcher accordeon while the percussion goes into overdrive with an almost hip hop feel and whispered vocals and synths effects kick in to what must surely be read as a pertinent rebuke to the whole sorry Brexit nonsense ... Ancient and modern and weird and wonderful rub shoulders throughout the entire album in constantly unexpected fashion; but Tickell's dancing pipes are never far from the action to pull it all back when it threatens to get too dark and mystical. At its best, it lifts the heart and sets the pulses racing with rich fervour".