Karine Polwart - This Earthly Spell

Taking inspiration from her historical, rural surroundings, borders lass Karine Polwart has produced a thought provokingly poetic, bittersweet album with This Earthly Spell. With Scottish folk as its primary base, the alt-American country tinges that create the breezy, gentle pace of this record belie the serious social and political opinion being expressed on songs such as Better Things, a comment on the trident issue. At other points the formula verges on cloying and the augmented use of vocal harmony can halter the record's more subtle instances, making it sound over produced. Karine’s voice, however, is pure and adaptable, combining a casual yet confident style with the more traditional vocals showcased on closing track Tongue That Cannot Lie, her version of an old borders ballad. Fairly easy going stuff, the album's punchiest track Paint it White would perhaps make it on a late Idlewild album. [Emma Smith]