Roots review of the week...

Various Artists

Black Hen ****

Subtitled “a tribute to the music of The Mississippi Sheiks,” this deliciously eclectic collection sees 16 diverse acts take a tune and work it to their hearts’ delight. The Mississippi Sheiks were a stringband based around fiddler Lonnie Chatmon and guitarist Walter Vinson, and augmented by various other Chatmons. They first recorded in 1930 and broke up in 1935. Their legacy was 70 songs, many blues- based, topped by the standard

Sitting on Top of the World

. Roots producer/ guitarist Steve Dawson was drawn to their music after hearing Bob Dylan’s

World Gone Wrong

album, which was named after one of their songs. He set about recruiting artists that would feel equally inspired by the long- gone tunes. And so Kelly Joe Phelps, Bill Frisell, Madeleine Peyroux, Geoff Muldaur, Oh Susanna, John Hammon. Bruce Cockburn and others signed up for what turns out to be an album of old songs that sound new. www.blackhemusic.com

JOE BREEN

Download tracks:

Please Baby, The World Is Going Wrong, I’ve Got Blood in My Eyes for You

Helen Brennan

Big Bridge Records ***

As if proving that not all singular, solid music comes from the most obvious places, Louth singer, songwriter and author Helen Brennan has stepped out of the provinces and into the limelight with this, her debut album. The subtitle is, perhaps, too clearly signposting a direction, but make no bones about it – this is serious music, expertly executed and astutely negotiated, as Brennan musically and lyrically swerves her way between reflectiveness, belonging, sorrow, tragedy and a form of salvation. Referencing the kind of roots/rock axis that Robert Plant and Alison Krauss so successfully detailed on Raising Sand, Mirrors of the Soulmight not reach the same heights or panache, but the mere fact that it aims so high and almost gets there is recommendation enough. www.myspace.com/helen brennansongs. TONY CLAYTON-LEA

Download tracks: Sweet Duleek Gate, To Seek the Dark