Noble stranger

"Irish flutist and singer Nuala Kennedy delivers a much more cohesive and adventurous third album with Noble Stranger. There's the mix of traditional and original material, but with her band behind her, there is a real sense of togetherness in the sound - these are road-tested veterans who understand each other ... What really sets this apart is the use of an old Casio keyboard, given to Kennedy by Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake. It makes a huge difference in the sound, not only on the self-penned opener "Gabriel Sings," but on her take on the old "Lord Duneagle," working well with the acoustic instruments ... "The Banks of the Roses" creates something new, a mix of traditional music and gentle '80s electro - it's charming and it works ... She's moved along as a singer, too, now more assured and bringing a mature warmth to the traditional pieces, while her flute work continues to grow in stature, fluent and always melodic".

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